Where You Are
by kijani
Summary: Inuyasha and the gang stop at a village when Kagome catches a cold, but stories of ghosts and Kagome's nightmares lead them to leave..So why is Kagome acting so odd? Could it have something to do with the ghosts? IYKAG FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **All right...this is not the sequel to _Don't Cry for Me_. This is a different story all together, but I'm hoping you guys like it! Please review and let me know what you think!

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**Where You Are**  
_Chapter One: A Tale of Two Lovers_

After a recent run-in with Naraku, Inuyasha was especially determined to track the elusive hanyou down. Unfortunately for the rest of them, Inuyasha had forgotten about the fact that most of his fellow shard hunting companions were human...and therefore, tired.

Two of the three humans, the demon slayer and the monk, rode on the back of Kirara and followed closely behind Inuyasha, who was steadily increasing his speed, despite the fact that he had yet to catch Naraku's scent. The third human, the shard-detecting priestess Kagome, lagged behind the others.

Kagome dragged herself along sluggishly. She didn't even have her characteristically overstuffed yellow back pack, but she was tired and her skin was unusually clammy. She hadn't felt very well since she had returned from the future the previous day, but she was not about to reveal that information to Inuyasha. The stubborn hanyou would have no pity...especially while in his current state of mind. He would merely see her sickness as a weakness.

When Inuyasha realized that his favorite miko's scent was farther off than he liked it to be, he stopped and turned to the others, who still sat comfortably on the back of the demon cat Kirara.

"What in the world has happened to Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded.

Sango pointed. "She's walking back there..."

"She refused to ride on Kirara..." Miroku explained quietly.

"Why?" Inuyasha allowed his eyebrow to rise slightly.

The annoyed hanyou back-tracked slightly until he finally found the exhausted miko. She had stopped walking completely, and was now leaning up against a tree with her head between her legs. Inuyasha's look of annoyance quickly changed to one of confusion and concern. Raising his nose to the air, he took a deep breath and frowned.

"Are you all right? You seem sick to me..." he smirked to her.

Kagome shook her head. "I'm fine, Inuyasha. I'm just tired."

"You are a really bad liar, Kagome. If you were not feeling good, why in the world did you not just ride on Kirara with the others, hmm? How come you decided to try and walk, when you are obviously in no shape to be up?" he groaned in annoyance, and bent over slightly. "Get on my back, Kagome..."

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

He turned to them and nodded. "We are going to stop at the next village for the night, all right? Kagome needs to rest. It is no good to keep traveling if one of us isn't functioning right."

Sango sighed. "We could have told you that..." she whispered.

The next village came into their sight only a few minutes later. It was small, but for one night, it would suit them well. By the time they arrived there, Kagome was already fast asleep on Inuyasha's back, and the rest of the group had finally decided to walk.

Inuyasha scoffed to himself. "Stupid girl..." he snapped. _I hope she's going to be all right, _he thought to himself.

As they reached the outskirts of the village, Miroku cleared his throat and stepped ahead of the others. The village elder was fast approaching them.

"What business have you here?" the old man demanded of them.

"We would like to request lodging in your village tonight." Miroku told him. "Our friend is ill, and she needs a warm place to sleep off her sickness. My companions and I are not going to be any trouble at all..."

The man blinked. "Three of your so-called _companions_ are demons, monk..." he coughed. "You expect me to believe that three demons will cause no trouble in my village?"

Miroku's eyes widened. "Not all demons are bad, kind sir. As I've told you, my companions and I will be no trouble to you...we are merely concerned about getting our sick friend of ours a warm place to sleep. I hope you can understand?" he asked.

The old man seemed to be considering this for quite some time. Finally, he nodded positively. "All right. You may stay the night. If you go forward, on the outskirts of the village is an empty two bedroom hut. You and your friends may sleep there if you wish. No one inhabits the house now..." his eyes seemed suddenly distant as he said this.

Sango swallowed hard. "May I ask why?" she whispered.

"Why what?"

"Why..." Sango repeated, "why is the house empty?"

The man looked straight at the ground. "The story is a sad one," he admitted. "Several years ago, a young couple lived in the house. They were...well, there was none like them in the village...none I had ever seen that were so in love..." the man explained, and Sango's eyes grew wide with interest. "One day," the man continued, "a group of bandits came into the village and raided several of our homes. When they got to the young couple, the leader was so infatuated with the young woman Manami, he had her lover Koji killed in front of the entire village. After that, when Manami still refused to submit to him, he had her killed as well." The man paused as if he was letting the information sink in. He sighed deeply. "It is said that the house is still haunted by the ghosts of the two lovers...although I have never seen them myself..."

Shippo yelped. "What? _Ghosts_? Inuyasha..." he stammered.

The man waved a hand in apology. "Do not worry, young fox. It is merely a tale...it is meant to scare the village children..."

"So, the two..." began Sango.

"No," the man coughed. "That part was true..."

"I see..."

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Miroku glanced around. "I don't see anything wrong with this place..." he commented.

"That's because there isn't..." Inuyasha snapped.

"But the old man said..." Shippo began.

"I don't want to hear anything about any ghosts," Inuyasha snapped, gently lying Kagome down. "I say you all just get some sleep so that we can get going again tomorrow. I wouldn't have stopped at all if Kagome had not gotten sick..."

"That's sweet, Inuyasha..." Sango grinned.

"Don't think too much of it, Sango..." Inuyasha warned.

Sango blinked. "All right..." She laid down, yawning. "Good night, Inuyasha..."

After all of his friends were sleeping soundly, Inuyasha still sat up as he usually did, keeping constant vigil over the others. Glancing over, he saw Kagome shiver. Groaning, he removed his red fire rat robe and gently covered her with it. Getting back to his 'post', he frowned when he realized that he could see his own breath, despite their being inside. This was definitely odd...especially considering the time of year. Outside, it was warm...so why did the temperature seem so different inside?

Turning over in her sleep, Kagome yelped. "Inuyasha..._is that you?_..." she whispered, all the while not even opening her eyes.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha blinked in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Kagome only groaned. Still apparently sleeping soundly, she had no reply for him.

Shrugging, Inuyasha leaned back up against the wall of the house and took a deep breath. It was nearly daylight when the hanyou finally unintentionally drifted off to sleep. His sleep was dreamless, and he did not wake up until he was shaken awake by Sango.

"Inuyasha!" she yelled in his ear. "Wake up!"

"Huh?" he groaned. "I'm not asleep!" he growled.

Sango shook her head. "Yes you were, and Kagome still hasn't woke up yet! Did she wake up at all last night? Do you think she's all right? If she is still sick, I don't think it would be a very good idea for us to keep traveling...maybe we should take a little break until we know she is going to be all right?" she suggested.

Suddenly, as if waiting for Sango's cue, Kagome rose slowly and yawned, throwing her arms over her head. "Good...morning...everyone!" she smiled.

Inuyasha's eyebrow rose. "Kagome? How are you feeling?"

Kagome thought about this. "Actually...Inuyasha...I think that I need to talk to you. It's important..."

"Why? What is it?" he asked curiously.

Kagome blushed slightly, and looked away. "I had a...I had a nightmare Inuyasha..." she revealed.

"You want to talk to me about a nightmare?" he smirked. "Honestly, Kagome! Come on! It was a dream!"

"I want to hear all about it..." Miroku interrupted him.

Kagome looked up for a moment and sighed deeply. "It was...we were in..._this_ village," she told them. "And there were...these two people...a young man and woman...they were lovers. I think they lived in _this_ house..." she added, looking around in worry.

Miroku looked suddenly interested. "Kagome...how did you know that they were lovers?" he asked.

Yet another blush crept onto her cheeks. "I...well...never mind that!" she snapped lazily. "I wasn't done yet." Clearing her throat loudly, she continued. "It...it was weird. I could have sworn..." she paused. "The man...he looked so much like Inuyasha...and the woman...I thought she could have been my twin..." Kagome stammered. "They were in their house, and then a group of bandits attacked the village..."

At this, Inuyasha gasped and leaned forward with interest.

"The man...the bandits killed him in front of the entire village. I heard the woman screaming, 'No, don't hurt him! Koji!'...after he was dead, the woman, Manami...she refused to submit to their leader...so he had her killed as well. I..." Kagome's eyes teared up. "I don't know why...but it scared me. Almost like I was there. Like it was me or something...even though I knew that it wasn't..."

All the while that Kagome was telling her friends about her nightmare, Inuyasha grew more and more pale. By the time Kagome was done with her tale, Inuyasha was bent over at nearly a forty-five degree angle, his eyes wide, staring at Kagome.

"You...you had a dream about it? That was...it was the exact same thing that the old man was telling us about last night..." he blinked in disbelief. "I mean...I knew it was true...but...that...it doesn't make a lot of sense..."

"Maybe Lady Kagome was channeling the energy of this house?" suggested Miroku as he stared at the young priestess. "It is possible, you know. Lady Kagome's spiritual powers are very strong..."

"But it...it _scared_ me..." Kagome repeated.

Inuyasha nodded lightly. "I know, Kagome." he whispered. "Don't worry, we are going to leave this place today...as long as you are feeling up to it?" he added, almost as an afterthought.

Kagome took a deep breath. "I...I feel all right. I definitely agree about the whole 'leave this place' idea, though...I don't feel comfortable here..."

"All right, then. We're gone." Inuyasha promised.

>>>>>>

That night, the group found themselves far from any village, and sleeping under the stars as they had done thousands of times before. Kagome and Sango curled up into their sleeping bags. Shippo snuggled himself comfortably into Kagome's arms, and Kirara slept with Sango as she usually did. Inuyasha, uncharacteristic of what _he _usually did, slept under a nearby tree instead of _in_ it.

Kagome blinked. "Inuyasha...what are you doing? Isn't that uncomfortable?" Kagome asked, her eyebrow rising slightly.

"Keh," Inuyasha smirked. "It's not like I sleep that much anyway," he crossed his arms and leaned his back up against the tree trunk.

"Whatever, Inuyasha..." Kagome turned away. "I was just concerned."

"Don't be," he snapped. He didn't mean it to sound harsh, but it had, and he regretted it slightly.

"Good night, Inuyasha..." Kagome yawned.

After about an hour or so, Inuyasha relaxed. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were all sleeping soundly, and everything around them was silent, save the far-away sounds of a small stream. Inuyasha sighed deeply, allowing his shoulders to slump slightly. What he had told Kagome was right. Usually, he didn't sleep when he was in the feudal era. In fact...the only time he slept good was when he was safely in Kagome's time. However, this night was different. He could already feel his eyelids growing heavy with sleep, and soon, he gave in to the urge to close them...

His dreams were strange. He tossed slightly in his sleep, only to jerk himself awake sometime shortly before sunrise. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around groggily. Everyone was still where they had been, sleeping soundly. Except...

Inuyasha took a deep breath. Where was Kagome? He could just barely detect her scent. It was as though she had gotten up in the middle of the night and left without her scent alerting him. He jumped up quickly.

"Kagome?" he whispered, his voice dripping with worry. "Where are you? Come out..." he called. "This isn't funny! Where did you go?"

He felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped for a second time. Wheeling around, he found himself staring face to face with none other than Kagome. He had her arm gripped tightly in his hand, and dropped it promptly when he realized it was her.

"Where were you?" he demanded. "You know better than to get up in the middle of the night and just walk off like that!" He stopped a moment, as if giving her time to process this, and then continued. "Don't ever do that again, all right? You scared the hell out of..."

Inuyasha was stopped mid-sentence when Kagome leaned forward and kissed him forcefully on the lips. His eyes widened as Kagome interlaced her fingers with his own.

He pulled back. "Kagome...what are you doing?" he hissed in her ear.

Kagome leaned forward again, but Inuyasha held out his hand to stop her. "What is wrong with you, Kagome? You've never acted like this before..." Inuyasha stammered nervously.

"You act like you don't enjoy it..." Kagome whispered in his ear, her breath hitting his neck.

He shivered. "Damn it, Kagome, I..."

"Kagome...? Inuyasha...?" Just Inuyasha's luck...the lecherous monk had to be the one to wake up and witness Kagome's sudden display of affection.

A blush rose into Inuyasha's cheeks. "Miroku..." he pushed Kagome back. "It wasn't me. I swear. I don't know what has gotten into her..."

"Calm down, Koji..." Kagome smiled playfully. "You've never been shy like this before. Why the change in heart?"

Inuyasha jumped to a standing position, and Miroku's eyebrow rose in interest.

He glanced at his hanyou friend. "Did you just hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah," Inuyasha nodded. "She just called me Koji. What is that supposed to mean?"

Miroku scratched his head for a moment. "That means I do not think that this is Kagome anymore..." Miroku deduced. "What were their names? From the old man's story? Koji and Manami?" Miroku thought out loud.

"Yes?" Kagome grinned. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Damn it!" he cursed. "Manami?" he repeated.

She looked at him.

"Where is Kagome?" he demanded as he towered over her.

"Kagome?" she blinked. "Hmm...was that her name?"

"Yes, it was! Now what the hell happened? How did all this happen? And where in the hell is Kagome? I want Kagome back right now!" he yelled at her.

She jerked back slightly. "Well, I'm sorry...but I can't do that."

It was Miroku's turn to do a double-take. "Excuse me?"

"I can not bring her back. It isn't that easy to do, you know. Besides, I don't want to go back yet..."

Inuyasha's face was getting redder by the second. "I don't care what you want to do! I want Kagome back!"

"Calm down, Koji. Everything is going to be fine..." she promised, running her fingers down his arm.

He jerked it back. "I am not Koji!" he yelled in irritation.

"Of course you are..." she nodded positively. _Or at least you will be soon enough..._

Inuyasha began to pace. "_How_?" he whispered as he stopped. "How do I get Kagome back? What do I have to do?"

Kagome smiled. "Go back to my village. You are sure to find the answers to your questions there..." _Koji and I will be together again soon._

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**A/N: **I hope you guys liked this one! Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for all your support thus far!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Here's chapter two! Enjoy!

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**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Two: Back to the Future _

_"_Don't touch me, damn it..." Inuyasha snapped.

"Lighten up, Koji..." Manami laughed seductively.

Inuyasha stopped. "Damn it! I am not Koji! And you are not Kagome..." he whispered, more to himself than to any of his friends. He sighed deeply. "We should be back at the village soon enough. It will be better once we get this whole thing sorted out..."

"I am not Kagome, huh?" Manami smirked, twirling Kagome's hair in-between her fingers. "You would return my affections if I was?" she asked him after a slight pause.

His eye twitched. "I didn't say that."

"Interesting..." Miroku commented under his breath.

"Shut up, monk. All I'm saying is that whoever she is, she _isn't_ Kagome. That means two things. One is that we don't know what is going on with the real Kagome...and another is that if we happen to stumble upon Naraku, we'll be in trouble. Without Kagome, we can't see the jewel shards. We won't know what to do...and none of that makes me very comfortable at all..." he explained.

Sango frowned. "I still don't understand how all of this managed to happen," she huffed.

"We were simply in the wrong place at the right time," Miroku answered. "It is as simple as that...and yet, so much more complicated..."

"Miroku..." Inuyasha growled. "Seriously. Shut up. I can't handle you right now...and I really don't want to hurt you."

Throwing up his hands in a symbolic retreat, the monk smiled and took several steps backwards. "Understood, Inuyasha." he promised.

"You know, Koji, I think we should..." Manami began.

Inuyasha shivered. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence..." he warned under his breath.

"Hmm..." she nodded, reaching out and entwining her arms with his.

Growling, he pulled away, folding his arms in front of his chest. "I already told you a million times, _Manami_," he smirked. "Do not touch me. Keep your distance. I want you to leave me alone. We'll be at the village any minute, and soon I'll be rid of you...so keep your hands off..."

"You're so touchy," she pouted. "I was only being friendly..."

"You're a little too friendly..." he snapped at her.

"Inuyasha..." Miroku called from behind him. "The village is just up ahead. All of this is going to be over soon. Calm down and don't worry so much. Lady Kagome will be returned to us soon enough..." he nodded to his friend.

Manami led the way to the small house on the outskirts of the village that the group had stayed in the previous night. Manami sighed and smiled as she entered it.

"It really hasn't changed," she commented. "That is partly the reason I stayed here. I grew to love it while I was alive."

"I don't care. How do I get Kagome back?" Inuyasha demanded for the hundredth time that day. "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it. I feel bad about what happened to you and everything, but you don't belong with us, and you don't belong with me. I hope that when this is all over, you are able to move on in peace..."

Manami smiled, twirling Kagome's hair yet again. "I will be gone by morning," she said quietly, and she walked without another word into the next room.

Sango's eyebrow rose. "Was it really that easy?" she looked to Miroku and Inuyasha for answers. Shippo, exhausted, slept soundly on Kirara's back. The young kitsune didn't usually have much to say unless it involved Kagome...and she hadn't exactly been herself this past twenty-four hours.

Inuyasha sat indian-style in the corner of the room and let out a very deep breath he had been holding. Allowing his head to fall back against the wall, he frowned. "This is such a disaster. Kagome's family is going to kill me. How am I going to explain this one to them? 'Sorry guys, Kagome was possessed by a sexually-frustrated ghost. I hope you don't mind'," he mimicked the scenario. "Yep. I'm going to die..."

"You heard her," Sango pointed to the next room. "She claims that she will be gone by tomorrow morning. Let's hope she is telling us the truth."

"Yes..." nodded Miroku. "Hope..." He paused a moment. "Although, if it was indeed _that easy_ this whole time, I wonder why she didn't say something earlier?"

"I don't like having to stay in this house again, though..." Sango sighed. "Something about this whole thing doesn't sit right with me..." She paused a moment. "Why are we here, exactly? She didn't really explain everything..."

"We're here because we are trusting her..." Miroku replied.

"Trust a ghost?" Sango blinked in his direction.

Inuyasha waved his hand. "It's all we can do. We have to hope that she releases her hold on Kagome..."

>>>>>>

Sango yawned. "Inuyasha...are you staying up all night again? I can't do it. I'm going to have to go to bed. Shippo had the right idea..." Sango stretched her arms out over her head. "Wake me up if something interesting happens, all right?"

"Something _interesting?_" His eyebrow rose.

"You know what I mean..." she snapped at him.

He smiled. "I'll wake you up when Kagome returns, all right?"

"That's what I was looking for," Sango gave him a thumbs up, and laid down, yawning once more and pulling the sleeping bag over her head.

Inuyasha once again leaned his head up against the wall. "This is going to be such a long night..." he whispered to himself. "But it is all worth it if it brings Kagome back to me..." he added as an afterthought. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to drift off into a light dream-filled sleep.

_"Inuyasha..." He could hear her voice calling out to him. It was Kagome...but where was she? Inuyasha looked around. He was in a field. Behind him was the sacred tree, where he and Kagome had first met. _

_"Kagome?" He blinked. "Where are you? Tell me where you are..." he pleaded in a low voice. _

_He heard her sigh. "I'm still there...inside...deep down inside. She has taken over my body...but she can not take over my soul. I am still aware of everything...but I don't have control over anything..." She stopped a moment. _

_Inuyasha gasped when she suddenly appeared in front of him. "Kagome..." he smiled, wrapping her in a hug. _

_"I...I came here to warn you, Inuyasha..." she whispered into his ear. _

_"Warn me?" he repeated. "About what? Things can not get much worse than they already are without you..." _

_"Yes they can." she nodded. "I know what she is thinking. She has brought you back here for one reason...and it isn't the reason you think it is..." she frowned, looking at the ground. "I...I can't come back like this. The only way I can return is..." A single tear raced down her cheek. "The only person who can save me is the one I love, Inuyasha. My love has to be returned. Manami and Koji were very much in love while they were alive. This is merely a part of their curse. If Koji gets a hold on your body, then both of us will be in more trouble than either of us can imagine..." _

_Inuyasha did a double take. "Koji wants to gain control of my body? What are you talking about? That doesn't make sense. It sounds like some crazy folktale...but...I want to help you, Kagome. How can I help?" _

_Kagome shook her head. "No, Inuyasha..." she began to cry again, and he held his hand out to her. She pushed it away lightly. "Inuyasha...you have to wake up. You have to wake up right now..." _

_"I don't want to..." _

_"You have to! Inuyasha, I am serious! You can not let him win..." She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. "Wake up, Inuyasha..." _

Inuyasha jumped up. "Kagome..." he yelped.

Standing in front of him was Kagome.

"Is that you?" he asked her. "Kagome?"

"Calm down, Koji. It was just a nightmare..." she replied.

Inuyasha groaned. "Damn it..." He blinked. "Get the hell away from me!" he yelled at her. "I know what you are doing," he accused, pointing his finger at her. "And I am getting the hell away from this house before you have the chance! I'm taking Kagome back home right now!"

He picked the girl up. "Sango!" he screamed.

"Eh?" She groaned in her sleep. "Inuyasha? What do you want? What are you doing with _Manami_?" she spat the last sentence.

"I am taking _Kagome_ home before Manami invites her buddy Koji to join us..." he answered. "I will be back when I have figured out how to _really_ get Kagome back..."

Sango sat up. "All right, Inuyasha. We'll head back to old lady Kaede's village as well. We will meet you there when you return with Kagome..." she promised. "I hope that everything will be all right..."

Inuyasha walked over, gently picking up Shippo. "I'm taking the kit, too. It will be no good to have him here if Kagome and I are not near by..."

"Huh?" she blinked in confusion.

"I'll explain later." Inuyasha informed her, and ran quickly from the hut.

>>>>>>

He stopped in front of the bone-eater's well and stared at it. There was a lot on his mind...and a lot that he was soon going to have to explain to Kagome's family as soon as he arrived in the future.

Manami squirmed in his grasp. "Where are we going?" she demanded. "What do you think you are doing?"

"You have no right to ask me any questions," he growled under his breath. "I am taking Kagome back to her family, and keeping you far away from that house. Understand? There isn't anything that you can do about it, so there is no reason to worry about it."

"Wait one second, I don't..." she protested, but before she could say another word, Inuyasha jumped into the well, and brought her with him.

Shippo yawned. When he opened his eyes, it was dark, and he yelped with fright.

"Inuyasha..." he called out.

"It's me holding you, runt. We're in the future. I've brought Kagome back to her family to try and fix this mess. I just thought it would be a good idea to bring you along this time, too. You haven't seemed to be in a very good mood since Manami took over..."

Shippo's small brow furrowed. "You noticed?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Well, I had a visit from Kagome...and I figure that the safest place for us to try to figure all of this out would be Kagome's time." He paused a moment. "I'll do all of the talking when Kagome's mother starts asking questions, all right, runt?"

Shippo nodded. "I just want my mom back..." he admitted.

Inuyasha's eyebrow rose with interest. "You really consider Kagome your mom now, runt?" he asked him, his voice softened somewhat.

Shippo nodded. "Yeah. I have for a long time."

Inuyasha uncharacteristically allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "That's great, Shippo."  
he agreed. "I'm glad for you..." he looked up, where he could see the ceiling of the well house, and sighed deeply. "What do you say we get this over with?"

>>>>>>

Shippo looked around curiously at his new surroundings. "Is this where Kagome lives, Inuyasha?"

"In the future, yes..." he answered, keeping his eyes on the door that he knew would lead to the kitchen of Kagome's home...where he would more than likely run into her mother almost immediately after walking in.

Inuyasha let go of Manami's arm. "You follow me, got it?" he smirked.

"You're so forceful, Koji. Calm down..."

"Stop calling me that!" he commanded her.

"Inuyasha?" The hanyou's ears flattened against his head when he heard the familiar sound of Kagome's mother's voice calling out to him.

"It's me!" he replied.

She stepped outside. "Who were you talking to?" she smiled when she saw Kagome and Shippo in Inuyasha's arms. "This must be Shippo! Kagome has told me so much about him! Oh, he's even more cute in person than when Kagome talks about him!"

The kitsune blushed deeply, but Inuyasha could only look at the ground.

"Look, Ms. Higurashi...I need to talk to you about Kagome..."

She blinked. "Kagome is right there, Inuyasha. Why can't she talk to me herself?"

"Koji..." Manami wrapped her hands around his arms.

"This is why..." Inuyasha jerked his hand away. "I need to talk to you, all right? And I think that maybe we should go inside and...sit down to talk about this..." he suggested.

Kagome's mother blinked. "Inuyasha...what has happened?"

Inuyasha led her inside, and she promptly sat down. "Ms. Higurashi...look, when Kagome came back, she had a really bad cold...and we stopped at a village so that she could rest for the night...and something happened while we were there..."

Her cheeks reddened. "What kind of something, Inuyasha? What are you talking about?"

"Kagome...Kagome was possessed by the ghost of a young woman who, along with her lover Koji, was murdered by a group of bandits. Her name was Manami. She tried to trick us into going back to the village so that Koji could get into my body...but Kagome came to me in my sleep and warned me before it happened. She told me that there was only one way to get her back...but I didn't really understand what it meant...so I thought that it would be a good idea to bring her back here...and far away from that house...so that I could figure it out..."

Kagome's mother's skin had gone pale. Her hand was at her throat. "Inu...Inuyasha...Kagome is...Kagome is my baby...how could this happen to her?"

Inuyasha shook his head sadly. "I don't know how it happened..." he admitted. "But I assure you, I will do all that I can to bring her back...I want her back as much as you do..." _If not more..._he admitted to himself.

"Koji..." Manami smiled, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

He jumped nervously. "This is part of the problem..." he whispered to Kagome's mother. "_Manami_ seems to think I am Koji, no matter what I say..."

Kagome's mother sighed deeply. "Inuyasha?"

He looked up, but did not say anything.

"You said that Kagome told you how to get her back?" She waited a moment, and he nodded slowly. "What exactly did she say to you?"

He coughed. "She said...she said that the only person who could save her is the one that she loves. I don't know what to do..."

At this, Kagome's mother smiled. "If that is true, Inuyasha, then getting Kagome back should be easier than you thought. Don't you see, Inuyasha?"

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Inuyasha..." she laughed. "I think it's _your_ turn to sit down..." she advised him, placing her hands on his shoulders and then wrapping him in a hug. "You and I need to have a bit of a talk..."

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**A/N: ** So there it is. The second chapter. Hope you guys liked it! Please review and let me know what you think! Chapter three will hopefully be up soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Here's chapter three! A little note, though. On Inuyasha's first italicized memory, I am improvising about what was said. I can't remember off of the top of my head, so if I get it wrong, don't sue me. I'm trying more with this chapter to explore the _emotional_ aspect of the memories rather than everything being dead on. In fact, I added things...That said, here it is, and I hope you enjoy it!

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**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Three: Her Mother's Tale _

"A talk?" Inuyasha blinked. "What exactly is this about, Ms. Higurashi?"

She smiled. "It's about my daughter, Inuyasha. And you. I think that there is something you are going to need to know if my daughter has any chance of regaining control of her own body..."

Inuyasha gulped and nodded stiffly, shoving Manami off of him once more. "What is it?" he asked.

She sighed. "Inuyasha, Kagome's grandfather is very much a traditionalist. I'm sure that being from the feudal era, you know and understand what an arranged marriage is?" She waited, and after a moment, Inuyasha nodded, his eyebrow rising slightly. She took this as a signal to continue. "That is how Kagome's father and I came to be married. Didn't Kagome tell you about any of this at all?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No," he replied, his obvious confusion dripping from his voice.

She sighed deeply, looking down. "I guess she wouldn't have. She has been afraid...terrified ever since she started middle school that she would suffer the same thing. Her father...I grew to love him...but I was not _in_ love with him. There is a difference. Taro's father...Kagome's grandfather, he was the one who arranged it all. It happened when I was eighteen years old."

"What does this have to do with Kagome?" Inuyasha frowned deeply.

"I'm getting there," she promised. She sat farther back in her chair. "A couple of weeks ago, right before Kagome returned to your time, her grandfather arrived home with news that he had arranged a similar situation for her..."

At this, Inuyasha's eyes went wide with shock.

It was Kagome's mother's turn to frown. "I know, Inuyasha. I did not know about it at all. I was shocked, to say the least. But Kagome..."

Inuyasha had leaned forward in his chair.

"Kagome cried...sobbed, hysterically. I had never seen her that upset before. She wasn't herself. I have never seen her...well, I have never seen her _stand up_ to her grandfather before...but that day, she certainly did..." she recalled.

_"You did what?" Kagome screamed, allowing the bowl of milk she had intended to bring to Buyo to drop to the floor forgotten. She stared at him in utter disbelief. _

_"Kagome, you are coming of age now, so I thought it was time to set you up for the rest of your life..." he explained calmly, taking several steps toward her._

_Kagome practically growled. "It's my life! You can't just go and make my decisions for me!"_

_"Yes, I can!" _

_"I am not my father!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs. "He is gone, gramps, and I can't let you do that to me just because he and mom let it happen to them and they couldn't speak up! I have other things on my mind right now! I...I refuse. I won't!" _

_His eyes widened. "What is that supposed to mean?" he challenged her. _

_Kagome suddenly lost her steam. She looked defeated. She looked up at him. "I'm just...I'm not doing it." she said simply._

_"Why the hell..." her grandfather began, but she cut him off with her next sudden outburst. _

_"I'm not doing it!" she repeated. "I'm...I'm in love with Inuyasha!" she spat, dropping down into the nearest chair with her head hung in her hands. Tears spilled from her eyes. "Are you happy now?" she whispered hoarsely._

Inuyasha had paled considerably. This was all so shocking to him. His mouth hung open.

Kagome's mother nodded in confirmation. "Of course her grandfather would not leave it be after that. He assumed things...accused her of being..._well_..." she cleared her throat. It was obvious to Inuyasha that she was fighting herself internally to keep her anger from rising to the surface.

Inuyasha blinked. "He did _what_?"

"It certainly wasn't a pretty episode..." she admitted.

"What happened?" Inuyasha demanded.

Kagome's mother sighed, the look in her eyes calming down a bit. "Just what I said..."

_"What have you done with him, Kagome? What has he done with you? This is absolutely appalling! You can not go to the feudal era and just abandon all of your morals like some common tramp!" _

_Kagome's eyes flashed with hurt, but it was replaced quickly with anger. "I have done no such thing!" she snapped at him. _

_"Oh, really?" he smirked. "And you expect me to believe that? Yet you just told me that you 'love' him! I'm sure he is an absolute perfect gentleman, isn't he, Kagome? He is half demon! I know that you know that...so don't expect me to believe that him or you have behaved yourself! _

_"Shut up!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs. "He's not like that, and neither am I! He hasn't even touched me! He...he doesn't even know how I feel..." she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. _

_Her grandfather's mouth hung open in surprise. "Did you just tell me to shut up?" he gasped. "You are telling me that you refuse to accept the arrangements that I have made for you...that you 'love' Inuyasha...but he doesn't know?" he scoffed. "Why must I even argue with you about this? This is ridiculous...!"_

_"I don't care!" Kagome retorted loudly. "I will not do it!" _

Inuyasha's mouth formed a pronounced 'O', and he sat back against the back of his chair, looking defeated. He looked up into the eyes of Kagome's mother. "Ms. Higurashi...I swear, I didn't realize...I didn't know that Kagome..."

From behind him, Manami groaned. "You are boring me, Koji...although I do feel the girl squirming inside a bit..." she commented.

Kagome's mother glared at her in annoyance. "Sorry, Kags..." she whispered, unsure if her daughter could even hear her. "But I have to tell him everything. We both know that he needs to know all of this..."

Inuyasha gulped. "But Ms. Higurashi, I don't think I can..." he stammered.

"No, Inuyasha. You really need to listen to this. There is much more to the story than you realize." She held a finger to his lips, and he sighed in defeat.

She took a deep breath. "Kagome's grandfather left the shrine after that. He was so mad that his entire face was red by the time he turned to leave. He didn't say anything to her, but he slammed the door hard enough to break the glass on the family picture when he left." she shuddered, remembering. "At first, Kagome didn't do anything. She just sat very, very still in the chair...she wouldn't move...she just sat with her head in her hands..."

"Stop..." Inuyasha whined. "I don't like it when Kagome is upset..."

"You _have_ to hear this, Inuyasha..." she repeated her statement from earlier.

He gulped, and nodded. "All right..."

"Kagome wouldn't talk to me for a while after he left. I'd never seen her like that before. It was like she was completely drained..."

_"Kagome, dear...why don't you have something to drink, huh?" her mother suggested. "I've brought you some aspirin. It will make you feel better." _

_There was no response. At first..._

_"Kagome, I know you don't want to go through with this...I know you don't want to end up with the same fate as your father and I. We did grow to love each other...we had you and then Souta...even though I thought I could never have children with a man I was not 'in' love with..." _

_At this, Kagome whimpered, and drew her knees into her chest with a short sob. "I don't want to hear it, momma..." she whispered in a low voice. _

_"But Kagome..." she blinked. Looking at her daughter's saddened face. She frowned. "What I'm saying isn't really helping, is it?" She wrapped her daughter in a tight hug. "Kagome...talk to me...please? Just tell me everything. I won't even talk...I'll just listen..." _

_Kagome began to cry. Hard. The stoic expression she had reserved for the argument with her grandfather vanished suddenly, and she buried her head in her mother's neck and sobbed. "I just can't...do it..." she stammered between gasps. "I can't marry someone I don't love, momma. I'm not like you. I'm not that strong. I wouldn't be able to just deal with it like you and dad did..." she admitted to herself, and to her mother. "I have been through so much the last couple of years...and gramps can not just ask me to give all of that up...I won't do it..."_

_Her mother only nodded. _

_"I...I can't leave them, momma. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kaede...I can't leave them, and I especially can't leave him..." _

_Kagome's mother shot her a questioning glance. _

_"Inuyasha..." she admitted. "What I told gramps was true, momma. I...I do love him. I know it's hard to think anything about it...he really doesn't know. I just can't bring myself to tell him how I feel. But just because I haven't been able to tell him doesn't mean I'm just going to do what gramps tells me to do..." She paused a moment. "Momma...what do you think?" Kagome asked, sniffling slightly. _

_Her mother sighed deeply and shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Kagome. You were right...your life is your life...and there are some decisions that you have to make yourself..." _

_Kagome blinked back her tears, which threatened once again to spill forth from her eyes. "I just...I have to know first. I have to know how he feels. Even if he doesn't feel the same way...I need to know...if only to make myself feel better..." she said in a voice barely above a whisper. _

_"I know, Kagome..." her mother nodded, squeezing her daughter tightly. _

"You see what I mean, Inuyasha? Do you understand now how important it was that you listened to me?"

After a moment of silence, Inuyasha nodded slowly.

He looked down at the ground. "I've been so _stupid_..." he whispered. "I swear, Ms. Higurashi...I just didn't realize. I never wanted to hurt Kagome..." his head hung.

"But you didn't, Inuyasha..." she assured him. "Don't you get it? Kagome _loves _you, Inuyasha. She loves you. That is the only thing that pains her. I don't know what else is going on in the feudal era, but I do know that much."

"Inuyasha always runs after Kikyou when she shows up. It makes Kagome really angry. She cries when he does that," announced Shippo as he ran through the doorway.

"I don't mean to..." he whimpered.

"That's just another way that you're stupid..." Shippo chastised him.

Kagome's mother blinked. "Kikyou? I've certainly heard that name before now. She was..." she put her hand to her cheek in thought.

"She was the woman who died fifty years ago for Kagome to end up with the jewel. She has...she has the other half of Kagome's soul..." Inuyasha explained in a low whisper. "I...I thought that I loved her, once. I don't know anymore. She never really accepted me as I am...she wanted me to use the jewel to become human...but I didn't want to do that...and it got her killed."

"That's not your fault!" Kagome's mother snapped.

"I wasn't done..." he sighed. "When Kagome came along and broke Kikyou's spell over me..." he stared. "It was just hard to accept, you know? It still _is_ hard to believe that someone...anyone..." he added, looking from Kagome's mother to Shippo, and back again, "could accept me for who and what I was. But Kagome...and my friends...they did that...and Kagome..." his thoughts trailed off as he remembered something that had happened long ago. "Kikyou...tried to kill her...and she wouldn't even be truthful about it because of me..."

_"Kagome, are you all right? What happened? Where did she go?" Inuyasha looked around. _

_Kagome sat on her knees on the earth, as if rooted to the spot. She shook slightly. _

_"Kagome?" he repeated. _

_"She...she's left already, Inuyasha..." Kagome stammered, although she still did not stand._

_Inuyasha dropped to his knees beside her. "Kagome, why won't you tell me what happened? How did you end up out here? What went on?" _

_For Kagome, his questions seemed endless...although she was not quite sure he really wanted to hear the answers. Her hands shook from her ordeal. She took a deep breath. "I...I saw her...and I did follow her..." Kagome admitted. _

_Inuyasha's eyes clouded over with confusion. _

_"I...I don't know what I was going to say to her...but she...I was so scared, Inuyasha..." Kagome looked up. She would have continued her story. She would have told him of the horrors that she had been through at the hands of Kikyou...were it not for the look on his face that told her that he didn't want to know what really happened. _

_Her voice broke. "No, Inuyasha. Just leave me alone," she sighed in defeat. _

_"No, Kagome. I want to know what happened..." he insisted. _

_"No you don't!" she cried, jerking away from him and falling back on her palms. "You don't really want to know what happened here, so why would you even ask me?" She began to shake again. _

_After a moment, she stood, wobbling slightly on the spot, and took a deep breath. "Just...don't worry about it." she snapped, her voice shaking. Having said that, she slowly stomped off into the forest in front of her, leaving a dazed and confused Inuyasha in her wake._

Inuyasha blinked, the memory having finally resurfaced. "She wouldn't tell me the truth. I think she was afraid of how I would react...or what I would do..." he admitted to himself. "But even after that, she never left..."

_"Inuyasha...what are you going to do after we finally complete the jewel?" Kagome's big brown orbs locked with his golden ones. "Do you still wish to become a full demon when all of this is over with?"_

_He looked at her, his eyebrow raised slightly. "What is that supposed to mean?" he snapped at first. "Why do you even care?" _

_A blush crept into her cheeks. "Because, Inuyasha...I...I like you just as you are." she said quickly. "I like you as a hanyou. I don't want you to change at all." _

_"Keh. I wouldn't change. I would still be there for you guys. I would just be more powerful..." he answered her, although he himself was not really sure of it. He sighed deeply. _

_Kagome's next question caught him off guard. "Are you sure it would be like that?" her voice was low enough so that even he had a hard time catching what she had said to him. Again, she looked up and met his eyes with her own. "You once told me that it scares you to be like that...that you aren't yourself...you would kill anything that got in your way...that your demon side 'took over'. I...I think you're really powerful as it is. I like you like this. Why would you want to change?" _

_"I don't know anymore, all right? How about we focus on getting the jewel first? Why are we talking about this now?" he asked in a whiny voice. _

_Kagome shrugged. "I was just curious about it is all..." _

Kagome's mother smiled. Shippo was now sitting curled up in her lap, sleeping contently, and even _Manami_ had taken a seat at the Higurashi table...

Inuyasha sat deep in thought. "Ms. Higurashi?" he whispered.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" she asked, a smile still playing on her lips.

He gulped. "Was Kagome...was she being serious...about what she said?" His ears twitched slightly, and he glanced over, where _Manami_ was sitting and staring intently at him.

Kagome's mother nodded. "Of course she was, Inuyasha. Why would she say such things if she did not mean them?" her mouth dropped open in shock. "Why...why is it so hard for you to believe that someone might actually love you, Inuyasha?"

His sad expression returned. "Because...I'm nothing..." he frowned. "I'm an in-between...a half-breed. Half demon, but not accepted by demons because of my human side...and half human, but not accepted by them because of my demon side. It's hard to believe anyone could fall outside of that mold. I've known things to be that way for hundreds of years..."

"But Inuyasha...that was _them_...and this is _Kagome_. Surely you have realized by now that she is different than everyone else?" Ms. Higurashi shook her head. She pointed to her lap. "Your friend here is _obviously_ a full demon...and Kagome talks about Miroku and Sango all the time. They are _all_ different, Inuyasha. You know that...I know that...and everyone else knows that. But this is _Kagome _we're talking about. We already know well of how she feels about you. The question is, how do you feel, Inuyasha?"

"She really...she really _loves _me?" Inuyasha repeated.

Kagome's mother nodded once more. "Yes she does, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stood suddenly.

"Where are you going, Koji?" Manami demanded of him, grabbing his arm.

Her jerked it away. "Ms. Higurashi, I think I need to take a _nap_. I have...I have a lot on my mind..." he told her.

She waved. "Sleep in Kagome's room if you want. I'll keep _Manami_ occupied down here," she eyed her with contempt.

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**A/N: **Oops, sorry guys...had to leave this one there if the fourth chapter was going to have any meaning behind it. Please review and let me know what you think! Chapter four will be up soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Have any of my lovely perceptive readers thought this title to be a little odd? Familiar, perhaps? big hug to reviewers Well, I appreciate you all whether or not you've figured it out or not...but let me explain. This story is titled after the song I will start including in it as of this chapter. Confused? Well, 1999...a duet between Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey called "Where You Are" was released. Those of you who know the song will recognize it...I think...Hope you enjoy chapter four! Here it is!

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**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Four: I'll See You in My Dreams_

Inuyasha sat on Kagome's bed, his head in his hands. "How could all of this have been happening for so long, and I didn't even see it?" he whispered to himself. _You idiot, you've known it for years...ever since you met her. You're just too stupid to acknowledge what has been right in front of your eyes..._

Inuyasha sighed, leaning back and letting one of Kagome's fluffy pink pillows catch his head on the way down. "I _am_ an idiot..." he smirked.

Kagome's scent was surrounding him now. After all, this _was_ her room. Inuyasha grabbed another one of her pillows and hugged it to himself, inhaling deeply. He could feel himself growing tired. He was safe. He was in Kagome's time...in her room. It was all right to fall asleep as long as he was here...

He felt his eyelids grow heavy. Sleep had a powerful hold on him, and he let it win. Besides, it was the only way to see her again until he figured out a way to fix the mess that he had gotten them both into...

**There are times  
I swear I know you're here  
When I forget about my fears  
Feeling you my dear  
Watching over me  
My hope sees  
of what the future will bring  
When you ride me on your wings  
And take me**

_"Kagome?" Inuyasha called out. "Kagome? Where are you? Are you here? Please..." he pleaded with the darkness. "I need you to be here..." _

_"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped. He turned in surprise. She was standing behind him. "Inuyasha, you shouldn't let your guard down. I don't trust her. She could hurt someone. What if she hurt you?" _

_Inuyasha laughed slightly, despite himself. "I'm so relieved to see you Kagome, and...well, I don't think Manami would hurt anyone. I don't think she knows about this..." _

_"This..." Kagome repeated somewhat softer. "What is 'this'? Why are you here?" _

_Inuyasha cleared his throat. "I had to see you. I had to talk to you...and I knew that this was the only way to do that until I can figure out how to get rid of Manami..." _

_Kagome's eyes met the ground. "I already told you how to do that...but I'm sorry. I can't tell you anymore about it..." _

_He shook his head. "I know, Kagome. But that's not why I came here..." He took her hands into his own. "I came here to see you. It's the only way I know how to...because I miss you...and I needed to talk to you. I know I'm asleep, but I'm at least here with you..." _

_"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered. "I don't under..." she began._

**Where you are  
Where you and I will breathe together  
Once again we'll be dancing in the moonlight  
Just like we used to do  
And you'll be smiling back at me  
Only then will I be free  
When I can be where you are**

_"You don't have to understand anymore, Kagome. You understand a lot more than me already, and you have had to suffer for it. Right now, I just want to talk to you. I have to. It's important. I heard some things from your mom...and I need to hear them from you..." _

_Kagome visibly shook, and looked down at the ground. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and sat down, slowly taking him with her. Above them once again were the branches and leaves of the sacred tree. _

_Kagome sighed deeply. "All right, Inuyasha...I'm ready..." _

_He swallowed hard. "What your mom said...about you getting married..." _

_Kagome choked back a sob. "Inuyasha, no...I can't. I told him I wouldn't do it. I don't want to do it...please don't...I'm sorry I..." Kagome took deep breaths as she began to cry. Her cheeks were red, and her hands covered her face. _

_"Kagome...don't apologize. Your mom told me you told your grandfather that you wouldn't do it..." he whispered. _

_Kagome coughed. "My mom told you...why I wouldn't...?" She looked up. _

_He nodded slowly. "She did..." _

_"You know about...?" _

_"Kagome..." Inuyasha took her hands. "I have to know..." he whispered. "I have to hear it from you. Is it...is it true?"_

_Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha...I can't tell you that." She whispered. _

_"Why not? Your mother already talked to me about it..." _

_"Inuyasha...you have to figure it out on your own. The one I love has to return my love. If I tell you the answer, it won't save either of us. You have to come to the answer on your own. You have to go through Manami to get to me...but you...You have to wake up now, Inuyasha. We can't talk to each other any longer..." _

_"No. I don't want to wake up. I want to stay here and talk to you, Kagome. I can only talk to you when I'm sleeping..." _

_"Wake up, Inuyasha. Remember what I told you? You have to wake up...you have to waku up..." _

Inuyasha gasped as he was shot unwillingly into consciousness. When he woke up, he was curled up on Kagome's bed, still clutching the pillow that was permeated with her scent. He sighed deeply.

He blinked. "Have to go through Manami?" he repeated what Kagome had said in his dream. Jumping up, he began to pace the room. What exactly did she mean? And why wouldn't she tell him if she loved him like her mother said she did? Why did he have to do this on his own? His thoughts ran rampant through his mind as he turned and overturned each possibility. He had to figure this out. He had to figure out what everything meant if he ever wanted to talk to the real Kagome again...

He plopped back down onto the bed. He knew he didn't love Kikyou. He thought he might at one point, but what he felt wasn't love. When Kikyou came back from the land of the dead, he knew she had changed. She was no longer the same person he once knew...and whatever feelings he'd had for her were slowly diminishing.

Scratching his head, he frowned deeply. He owed it to Kikyou to see to it that she would be able to rest in peace...but he knew that when she went, he did not want to go with her.

"Shippo!" he yelled. "Come here, please!"

The small kitsune was at the door only two minutes later. Panting, he looked up at the obviously frustrated hanyou. He blinked. "What is it, Inuyasha?" he asked after Inuyasha did not say anything for a moment.

Inuyasha looked down, meeting Shippo's eyes, and took something small from his robes. He handed the small object to Shippo.

"This is a small shard of the jewel of four souls." The fox nodded, and Inuyasha continued. "Sango, Miroku, and Kirara are waiting in the old woman's village. I want you to bring them back to me, all right? They are going to need to hold on to you somehow in order to be able to go through the well, but I want you to bring them here quickly. I really need to talk to them. Got it?" he finished.

After a second, Shippo nodded, and, with the shard in hand, he rushed out of the room and down the stairs.

"Be careful, kit!" Inuyasha hollered. "Go straight to the village! Do not stop for anything! I don't want Kagome getting mad at me if you end up getting hurt!"

>>>>>>

Inuyasha sat himself at the Higurashi's kitchen table for the second time that day. He let out a deep breath that he did not realize he had been holding.

Kagome's mother looked up. "Are you all right, Inuyasha?"

He nodded slowly. "I'm fine. I just...miss her a lot." he admitted.

"We all do."

"I sent Shippo to go get Miroku and Sango," Inuyasha informed her. "I really need to talk to them, but I don't think it is a good idea to go back to the feudal era right now..."

"Why?" Kagome's mother asked, confusion etched in her voice.

He sighed. "Tonight is the new moon. On top of everything else that I have to think about, now I have to worry about that."

"No one is going to attack you in this time period, Inuyasha," she assured him. "It's safe here. You know that." Putting her towel down, she took a seat next to him and smiled. "You know...if you have something on your mind...you can tell me anything..." she offered. "Ask Kagome. I'm not very good at giving advice, but I'm really good at the listening part."

"I'd love to ask _Kagome_ anything at this point," Inuyasha said under his breath.

Kagome's mother placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure that you will soon, dear," she promised.

>>>>>>

"We're going to the future?" Sango could barely hide the excitement that lit her features. "When do we leave?"

Shippo laughed. "We have to leave now, Sango. It's important. Inuyasha says he really needs to talk to you guys, but he can't afford to come home right now..."

Miroku nodded in understanding. "Tonight is the new moon. I'm sure that has something to do with it..."

Shippo nodded. "Yes. I'm sure that's it." He paused. "Kagome's mom has already talked to Inuyasha..."

Sango coughed. "How did that go?"

Shippo shrugged. "I don't know. I went to sleep for some of it, so I couldn't tell you..." He paused a moment. "Are you guys ready to go?" he asked in a whiny voice.

After a moment, both the demon slayer and the monk were indeed ready to go. The group raced back to the well on the back of Kirara, who joined them on their trip to the future.

The purple light engulfed them on their way through time. After a couple seconds, they landed in the well on Kagome's side of time. Sango and Miroku climbed out, carrying Shippo and Kirara with them. Waiting for them when they walked out of the well house was none other than Inuyasha himself...in human form, of course.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "It certainly took you all long enough to get here," he said in his most annoyed voice possible.

"What exactly is it that you needed to talk to us about so badly?" Miroku demanded with a smirk, his eyebrow rising slightly. "What is it that is so important? You told us you would come back when you got Kagome back. Is she all right?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Would you give me the time enough to get to that point, please?" he growled.

Sango laughed lightly. "All right, Inuyasha. Start talking..."

"Koji!" Manami yelled, and Inuyasha groaned.

"Ms. Higurashi!" he whined. She appeared at the door.

He blinked. "Could you please keep her...busy...while I talk to Sango and Miroku? This is really important...and hopefully we can figure all of this out very soon..."

"Well, then I'll be glad to help as much as I can." She walked over and wrapped Sango and Miroku in a hug. "You must be Sango and Miroku!" she smiled. "Kagome has told me so much about you!"

>>>>>>

"What is it, Inuyasha? What is so urgent?" Sango sighed in frustration.

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "When I am sleeping...I can visit Kagome. She comes to my dreams..." he whispered. "But I don't think she is going to be able to anymore...I think Manami is too powerful. Kagome never let me stay very long to talk to her...she would always force me to wake up..." he told them. "But she has told me how to get her back..." he smiled.

Sango jumped. "Inuyasha, that is great!" she smiled. "How do we do it?"

"You don't..." he shook his head. "Kagome said that the only person who can save her is the one she loves. Her love must be returned. She said that we had to go through Manami to get to her...but I don't know what that means..."

"That should be easy!" Miroku huffed. "We know that Lady Kagome loves _you_. It's also painfully obvious how much you love her. So what's the problem?"

Inuyasha reddened. "I don't know. I'm not sure of anything anymore..."

"Inuyasha..." Sango shook her head in pity. "You are the only one who can't see it, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?" he frowned.

"Inuyasha..." Sango grinned. "You take care of Kagome and you protect her. When she is in her time and you are in ours, you mope around like a child until she returns. You constantly worry about her...you're always defending her from other male demons...you're always trying to make her happy in some way or another..." She paused a moment. He looked thoughtful. She blushed. "Listen, Inuyasha. If Kagome is the first person you think of when you wake up, and the last person you think of before you go to sleep...if all that you seem to care about is keeping her safe and making her happy..._which you do_, there's a good chance you are in love with her. Think about it, Inuyasha. Have you ever been in love? Did you feel like this when you were with Kikyou? It's different...isn't it?" she flashed a smile at him.

He shook his head, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment. He cleared his throat. "Even if it is true," he snapped, "I still don't know what she meant when she said that I would have to go through Manami to get to her. What did that mean?"

Miroku seemed to think about this for a moment. "Inuyasha..." he began thoughtfully. " Lady Kagome is still _inside _Manami, right?"

After a second, he nodded. "So?"

"Maybe she meant it literally?" he suggested.

"Huh?" Sango and Inuyasha chorused.

Miroku grinned wide. "Inuyasha, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, is it not?"

Again, Inuyasha nodded.

"So, say I wanted to tell Lady Sango here that I'm madly in love with her?" Sango blushed a deep purple at his 'example'. He inched closer to her. Inuyasha turned his head to the side in confusion. "Well, if I wanted the right effect from it, I wouldn't go to _Lady Kagome_ to talk to Sango, would I?" he paused a moment, as if letting this sink in. "No, of course not!" he exclaimed. "I would go straight to Sango, and say," he took Sango's hands in his own, "'Lady Sango, I love you and I want you to bear my children...'"

Sango paled. "Miroku?" she gasped.

A sly smile crept across Inuyasha's face. "Well, Sango?"

"I...I...we are here to talk about you, Inuyasha!" Sango stammered, her cheeks going through several color changes.

Miroku cleared his throat. "That is true..." he agreed with his friend. Turning to Sango, he kissed her on her cheek. "You and I can talk later, all right?"

Inuyasha coughed. "So I have to..." he stammered.

Miroku nodded. "You have to confront her directly...as soon as you are sure of your feelings..."

"But won't Manami know about the curse? So what if she tries to stop me from reaching Kagome?" Inuyasha asked next. "How do we manage that?"

"That," Miroku smirked, "will require some trickery on your part, Inuyasha..."

"Trickery?" Inuyasha repeated.

He shook his head. "She calls you Koji...maybe she thinks that Koji is already somehow inside of you?" Miroku thought out loud.

"Tell Kagome's mother to take Souta and go shopping or something. I don't want them to be here in case something happens or something goes wrong..." Inuyasha instructed. "I will stay up here..." He held up his hands as his friends reached the door. "You know what, guys? Act as though I _am_ Koji...if Kagome's mom and brother don't know that I'm not, this whole thing will be a lot easier..."

"Right!" Sango gave him a thumbs up.

>>>>>>

Sango began to cry as she descended the stairs. "Mi...Miroku..." she sobbed. "How could this have happened?"

"I know, my dear Sango...we will find a way to get them back. I promise." he consoled her.

Kagome's mother met them at the foot of the stairs. "What has happened?" she demanded.

Miroku shrugged sadly. "We don't know. Inuyasha is gone..."

Manami looked up in interest.

"What do you mean, Inuyasha is gone?" Kagome's mother yelped.

"He will not respond to us...he says his name is Koji...he was getting rather irate...we had to leave the room..." Miroku explained. "I would take the boy and leave if I were you...Sango and I may have to take him down, and we don't want you to get hurt..."

Kagome's mother nearly choked. "All...all right. Souta!" she hollered. "We're going away for the day!" She turned back to them. "Please you two...please get Inuyasha and my daughter back..." she pleaded.

Manami had already begun to make her way up the stairs.

>>>>>>

"So...you finally overtook the stubborn hanyou's spirit?" Manami smiled. "I have been waiting for you to return to me for days now..." She approached him, slowly wrapping her arms around his waist.

"He was strong..." Inuyasha said in his most sultry voice. "It took some time. But I'm here now...with you..." he smiled, snaking his arms around her neck. "Where did the monk and the demon slayer go off to?"

"I think they left..." she whispered seductively. "But who cares?" She stood on her tiptoes, her breath hitting his neck. "We're together, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are..." Inuyasha swept her up into his arms.

Their faces only an inch apart, Inuyasha smiled. Leaning in, he whispered, "I love you..." he kissed her lightly. "Kagome..." he finished, smiling as he pulled away.

Manami inhaled deeply, and Kagome's body went rigid. Inuyasha sat down on Kagome's bed carefully, and held her tightly. He heard another sharp intake of breath, and Kagome's body relaxed. After a moment, her eyes finally opened.

"Kagome?" he whispered. "Is it you?"

"Inuyasha..." she smiled. "I knew you would figure it out!" she wrapped her arms around his neck.

>>>>>>

**A/N: **Quick update, eh? Well, I had to leave this one here, but I will update again soon. Please review and let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Here is chapter five, guys! Please review:D

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**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Five: Oops..._

"How do I know it's you?" Inuyasha's eyebrow shot up in suspicion.

Kagome seemed to think about this for a moment. "When we fought the Seven Man Army, one of your biggest motivations for getting rid of Jakotsu was the fact that he had the hots for you." Kagome paused. "You weren't too happy when Mukotsu tried to marry me, either..." she added, almost as an afterthought.

Inuyasha growled lightly. "All right, all right! Let's not revisit that memory, please?"

Kagome took a deep breath. "I won't..." she promised. "I'm so sleepy..."

Inuyasha laughed. "Well, I think you've been through quite a bit today..."

There was a knock at the door, and Sango and Miroku entered with Shippo at their heels.

Shippo looked up expectantly. "Inuyasha, is mommy back?" he whispered, almost afraid that asking would somehow jinx it.

Inuyasha smiled. "Yes, Shippo...she's back, but she's a little tired now...so I think we should all give her a little bit of room..."

"Don't you think that was just a little too easy?" frowned Miroku, glancing around the room with worry. "I mean, I definitely understood the concept behind it and everything...but I thought that there would be just a little more to it all than that..."

Inuyasha seemed to think on this a moment. "I don't know. How am I supposed to know? I haven't exactly been through this kind of situation before..." he admitted.

"But I feel fine..." Kagome smiled. "I really do. Besides, since the new moon is tonight, we can head back to the feudal era tomorrow and start looking for the jewel again."

"Kagome...I'm not too sure about that..." Sango frowned. "Maybe we should take a few days off?"

Kagome waved her hand. "Sango...I'm serious. We don't have to take any time off."

Miroku cleared his throat.

Kagome and Sango looked over. "What, monk?" Sango demanded in annoyance.

"Inuyasha had to tell Kagome he loved her in order to get her back, didn't he?" he realized, a smart smirk playing across his lips. "Isn't that interesting?"

"Monk, keep your mouth shut or I will rip it off your face!" Inuyasha threatened.

Miroku backed away slowly. "I'm shutting up now, Inuyasha..." he promised.

Kagome ran her fingers through Inuyasha's hair and smiled. "Lighten up, Inuyasha. He was just joking around with you. He didn't really mean anything bad by it...did you, Miroku?" Kagome glared at him.

"Right!" he agreed quickly with a nervous laugh.

"It's your own fault..." Sango whispered. "You are the one who repeatedly lets yourself get into these situations!"

Miroku cleared his throat. "My dear Sango...now that Inuyasha and Kagome have seemed to rectify their little situation..."

Sango blushed.

"Miroku, I don't know about that..."

"What?" asked Kagome curiously.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Miroku told Sango he loved her and asked her to bear his children..." he said in a nonchalant sort of voice, and Kagome squealed in surprise.

Miroku coughed. "Ahem...so who's turn is it to keep their mouths shut, Inuyasha?" he groaned in embarrassment.

>>>>>>

"I'm sorry, momma. Sango and Miroku had to lie to you. We didn't want you to get hurt if something went wrong. They had to make sure that you thought the exact same thing as Manami did so that you didn't scare her...She had to think that Inuyasha really _was_ Koji in order for everything to work right...and so did you..."

The _click_ of the door could be heard, and Kagome turned her head to the side. "Who could that be at this time of the night?" she wondered out loud. "Mom? Do you know who it is?"

Her mother shrugged. "I don't know, Kagome."

"Who is it?" Souta called into the hallway.

"Who do you think it is?" Came the reply, and Kagome visibly shook and paled.

Inuyasha blinked. "Kagome, what is wrong?"

"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered. "It's my grandfather..."

"Your...grandfather?" Inuyasha repeated uncertainly. He blinked. Suddenly he remembered Kagome's mother's story...and everything she said had transpired between Kagome and him. "Oh, no..." he frowned.

The old man was standing in front of them now. "What is he doing here?" he yelled at Kagome. "I thought that you and I already had our talk about this, didn't we? This is nonsense!"

"Stop it, gramps." Kagome's mother snapped. "I won't have it anymore..."

"But she..." he stammered.

"...Has already told you how she feels about her _arrangements_ you made for her. Now it's your turn to leave her alone." she finished for him.

The old man reddened in anger. "I am the man of this house!" he snapped.

"I don't care." Her mother answered back. "As I've said, Kagome can make her own decisions. It may be true that you two already had this conversation, but that also means that Kagome has already told you how she feels..." At this, she pointed to Kagome and Inuyasha, who stood behind her, hand in hand. "Need I say more?"

Kagome's grandfather coughed loudly. "I...well..."

"We're going back to the feudal era tomorrow, momma..." Kagome whispered when a short silence fell over the room.

"All right, Kagome, dear..." she nodded, effectively ignoring the old man standing in front of her.

"But she just...!" he yelped.

"Had you not stormed out of the house so long ago, you may have known what has been happening to Kagome for the past couple days...but since you haven't been around and you don't know, I don't think it's a good idea that you worry about why or when she wants to go back to the feudal era." She paused. "Especially considering the fact that you are the one who wants to keep her here so much..."

"Thanks, mom..." Kagome whispered cautiously. She paused. "Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku...come on. We're going on a trip!"

"Where to?" asked Sango and Miroku, a little over-curiously. The two didn't really know what was going on with Kagome and her grandfather, but they were grateful for any type of distraction that would keep them from further wondering about the problem...

"Ramen?" Inuyasha looked up expectantly.

Kagome giggled and nodded. "Actually, yes, Inuyasha. We can go get some ramen." she promised.

>>>>>>

"Feeling better today, Inuyasha?" Kagome smiled, taking his hand in her own.

He seemed to think about this a moment before he nodded. "Yes, actually, I am. I'm just glad that you are finally back to yourself." he told her. "It was really weird to have you hanging all over me and everything knowing that it wasn't even really you..."

"She was kind of clingy, wasn't she?" Kagome noticed.

Inuyasha chuckled lightly. "Yeah...the only other type of clingy behavior I have ever seen like this before is in demon mates...but that's to be expected..." he said under his breath. He paused a moment. "Oh...no..."

"'Oh...no...' what?" Kagome demanded, stopping in her tracks. "What's wrong, Inuyasha?"

"She wasn't human..." he stammered.

"Who wasn't human?" Kagome frowned. Sango and Miroku were now staring at the new couple oddly.

Miroku blinked. "What's wrong back there, you two?" he asked them.

Kagome shrugged.

"She wasn't human..." Inuyasha repeated. "I didn't see it..."

"Didn't see _what_?" yelped Kagome in frustration. "Toss me a clue here, Inuyasha! What are you so worried about all of a sudden?"

"Manami..." he whispered in reply. "I don't think that she was human...and I never actually saw her spirit leave your body for that matter..." he added. "That would explain why she was so clingy, and why...oh no..." Inuyasha shook his head.

"Inuyasha...something _is_ wrong, isn't it?" Miroku questioned.

Inuyasha had paled slightly, and his mouth hung open somewhat, so that the tips of his fangs were visible.

"Yes..." he answered finally. "I think something is very wrong. I don't think that Manami and Koji were actually human, and that means that Kagome and I are not rid of our ghost friends yet." He told them all. "We were tricked. It was all too easy. It doesn't make any sense at all..."

Kagome frowned, annoyed. "Inuyasha...how much stuff have we seen that actually makes sense?"

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Look, Kagome, I'm serious! Where's the old woman?" he demanded of his four friends. Kirara chirped and transformed.

Sango nodded. "I'll go get her."

"No..." Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't think it would be a very good idea to leave Kagome and I alone now that I am half demon again. I don't know what might happen..."

"Inuyasha..." Kagome gasped. "I trust you. There is nothing to worry about..."

"Yes, Kagome...you trust me...but I don't trust him..." Inuyasha sighed deeply.

"Him?" Kagome repeated.

"Koji." Inuyasha whispered.

"Koji?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah...when I came up to your room last night...she was talking to me as if I was Koji...and she said something...but I didn't really think about it until now...she said...hmm..." he put his hand to his chin in thought. "She said, '_So...you finally overtook the stubborn hanyou's spirit? I have been waiting for you to return to me for days now..._'" He repeated her words.

"So that means..." Sango gasped in sudden realization.

Miroku nodded his head slowly. "I knew this would not be that simple..." he frowned. "Come. We will all go find old Lady Kaede..." he announced. "Maybe she will be able to help us with this problem...?" he suggested.

"How can she help us when we don't even really know what is going on with ourselves?" Kagome worried.

Sango coughed. "Well...Miroku and I are all right..." she nodded. "We can keep an eye on you and Inuyasha if Kaede can not help you..."

"No one should have to keep an _eye_ on us..." snarled Inuyasha.

Suddenly Sango smiled as if she had realized something important. "You guys! They aren't ghosts!" she jumped.

"We've established that already, my dear Sango..." Miroku laughed.

"No, monk! They are leecher demons!" She yelped. "You know? Leaches? They are parasites!"

"What about the old man's story? And Kagome's nightmares before Manami took over?" Shippo whined. "I am so confused!"

"No..." Sango shook her head. "The entire village. The entire village was leecher demons..."

"Why couldn't I...?" Inuyasha began.

"The new moon," Shippo said simply. "Your senses weaken around that time, right?"

"What about _your_ senses, runt?" he growled.

"I'm only a kid!" he whined.

Kagome paled. "So...Inuyasha and I are infected with leecher demons?" She waited, and Sango nodded. "Demons..." she whispered. "You don't think we would hurt you guys, do you? We have to go back to that village right now!"

"But Lady Kagome, we were going to find Lady Kagome and..." began Miroku, but Kagome stopped him flat.

"No, Miroku!" she stomped her foot. "If there are demons inside our bodies, Inuyasha is right. It isn't safe for us to be alone, and I don't think it is safe for us to be with you guys either. We have to go back to the village. Maybe we can find the root of the problem and rid ourselves of this parasite..." she said, more to herself than to anyone. She shivered. "I'm...scared..."

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**A/N:** Yeah, shorter than the other ones, but I had a point to this one. Please review and let me know what you think! Hope you all liked it!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Here is chapter six, guys! Sorry for the long wait...I've had about four essays and three projects due in the last two weeks, and it's my senior year, so school has been rather hectic. I finally found time to finish this one. I hope you guys like it!

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**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Six: So Much More_

"This entire situation has me completely confused..." Miroku frowned.

Shippo glanced up at him with questions shining in his eyes. "What do you mean, Miroku? Sango already explained it."

"I know that, Shippo. I was just thinking...why would the demons go through all of the trouble? I mean, think about it...the elaborate story about love setting Kagome free was obviously not exactly the truth. Manami and Koji are probably digging around in Inuyasha and Kagome's souls right now, getting a good laugh at the control they have over this whole situation..."

"Miroku!" Sango snapped.

"And for that matter, why choose a powerful spiritual priestess and a hanyou as hosts? Obviously our friend Koji is having trouble gaining control of Inuyasha, or he would have already reared his ugly head...and we all know what Kagome was capable of, even though her body was occupied..."

"Shut up, monk! We're right in front of you! Do you want them to hear your mumbling?" Inuyasha growled. "I say we just find that damn village and get this over with. If I have to kill every damn demon in the joint to get this trash taken out of Kagome and me, then I will..." he threatened.

Kagome sighed. "If you're able to..." she said under her breath. "We don't know just how much power these two have, remember? We could have a bigger problem than we think we have."

"Kagome...how much worse can things possibly get?" Inuyasha asked her, frowning. The answer, though, did not come from Kagome. It came from inside Inuyasha's head. _They can get a lot worse, hanyou. Our comrades are not actually going to assist you in ridding yourselves of us. You could kill them all, and it would do nothing. There's only one way either of us is coming out, and neither you nor your stupid wench is going to like it._

"Don't call her stupid!" Inuyasha snarled. "Get the hell out of my head!"

Kagome stopped. "Inuyasha?" She blinked several times. "Who were you talking to? Don't call _who_ stupid?" she asked him after a moment.

"I don't know. There was...there was a voice inside my head." he whispered.

Sango and Miroku glanced at one another. "Koji," they said in unison.

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. "I figured that much," he said in an annoyed tone.

"How far are we from the village?" Kagome questioned, her voice soft with worry.

Inuyasha raised his nose to the air. "It won't be long now," he told her.

_It's useless. You and your Inuyasha would both have to die to expel Koji and I from your bodies. Did you honestly think that returning to that village would somehow help you? _Kagome shivered at the voice inside her head. "No, we won't..." she whispered.

Sango took a cautious step away from her best friend. "Kagome?"

"Inuyasha...stop." Kagome waited, and the impatient hanyou stopped in his tracks and turned to the side to face her. She took a deep breath. "We can't go back to the village. Manami's voice is in my head now, too...and we already know she can take control of me. She said..." Kagome paused. "I can't say it..."

"What did she say, Kagome?" asked Inuyasha, his voice soft.

Kagome sighed. "She said that we would...that we would have to die to expel them from our bodies..." she reported to the group. "Do you think...that it's true?" her voice broke slightly. "What are we supposed to do?"

_Give up, _said the voice inside her head. _I promise it's not painful, and it will make things so much easier for us..._

"I won't give up!" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha blinked. "What happened?"

"Nothing. Never mind." she nearly snapped.

"_Something_ happened, Kagome..." Inuyasha tapped his foot, not buying her story.

Kagome sighed. "Damn voices." she grumbled, and Inuyasha's eyebrow rose. She looked up at him. "I don't want to go back to Kaede's village...especially since we obviously don't know what we are dealing with. I think I might know one person who would at least be able to handle Koji and Manami if they decided to be a problem, though."

Inuyasha looked confused. "Huh?"

"Sesshoumaru." She whispered.

"I absolutely refuse to..." Inuyasha began.

Kagome stomped her foot. "Inuyasha, if _she_ is right, Sesshoumaru may be the only one who can really help us?"

"If she's right?" he repeated, his voice soft. "Kagome...don't you get it? Sesshoumaru doesn't care. If he had to kill us, there would not be any coming back. That's the one thing Sesshoumaru wants even more than our father's sword..."

Kagome seemed to think on this a moment. "Maybe Kouga would know what to do?" she thought out loud.

Inuyasha scowled deeply. "All right. That's it. We're going to see Sesshoumaru right now."

"But I thought..." Kagome began.

"This way..." Inuyasha pointed.

Sango laughed.

"I see nothing funny about this situation, Lady Sango..." Miroku frowned.

"Kagome, that was brilliant," Sango smiled.

"I don't understand..." Miroku scratched his head.

Sango shook her head. "It's a girl thing, monk. Don't try to understand it. It will just make your head hurt."

Inuyasha, grumbling to himself, was walking ahead of the group and incoherently mumbling to himself about the stinky wolf and his jerk of a brother.

Kagome coughed. "Inuyasha I..." she began, but stopped suddenly.

"You _what_, Kagome?"

_No..._

"Aw, Koji...was that woman trying to tell you something?"

Inuyasha turned on his heel. "Damn it, Manami! Bring her back!"

"Why won't you let Koji out, hmm?" she frowned.

Inuyasha sighed, his cheeks reddening in anger. "Because the two of you are in _our_ bodies, stupid wench, and we will not be responsible for what you do. Bring Kagome back. I swear, my brother will kill both of us without a thought if it means getting rid of you..."

"Really? Because it seemed as if Kagome was doubting his willingness to help you two...even you doubt it..." she smirked.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Would you be willing to stake your life on it?"

Manami quieted. "You wouldn't sacrifice yourself..." she snapped at him.

"In a second," he promised, nodding.

"Inuyasha, I don't think..." began Sango.

Inuyasha cut her off, taking a deep breath. He could tell from the scent of the forest around him that his brother Sesshoumaru was watching from somewhere nearby. "Sesshoumaru!" he screamed. "Come out! I've got a proposition for you!"

The forest was quiet for a long time.

"Inuyasha..." the voice of his brother finally responded. "What kind of trouble have you managed to get yourself into this time? Whatever it is, if you expect my help, you are sadly mistaken..."

"I want you to kill Kagome." Inuyasha said quickly. "And bring her back afterwards. There is a leecher demon inside her and one inside me. Isn't that right, Manami?" Inuyasha asked.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku screamed. "What are you thinking?"

Manami did not reply.

"Inuyasha, you have finally lost your mind. It was silly of me to think a half demon like yourself would be of a full mind, anyway, but it is still rather...pathetic." Sesshoumaru commented, his voice low with amusement.

Inuyasha shook his head. "I'm serious, Sesshoumaru!"

"If you do indeed have leecher demons inside your bodies, that would mean that I would have to kill you both." Sesshoumaru smiled at this, and Miroku cringed. "What makes you think I owe you anything to bring you back once you are dead?"

Inuyasha growled. "I am not in the mood to play your mind games, Sesshoumaru. This is serious." He snapped. "Look, I...I love her," he whispered, "but if...if nothing else, think of it this way...we all need Kagome. Not just me. You need her, too. We all need Kagome if we are going to beat Naraku...without her, we're sunk...and if Naraku figures out that me and Kagome are, well...possessed, then we'll all be in even more trouble than any of us can stomach..." Inuyasha rattled off quickly.

Sesshoumaru looked thoughtful. "Has he been able to gain control of you yet?" he asked finally.

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, he hasn't." He paused. "He's having trouble because I'm not entirely human, I think...but Manami has shown up several times already..." he snarled. "Damn wench. If she doesn't bring Kagome back soon, I swear I am going to..."

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru ordered. "I know what must happen. However..." he looked around. "You are aware of how it works, aren't you?"

Inuyasha blinked. "Kagome said...that we would have to die..."

Sesshoumaru coughed. "_Manami_ left a couple details out, didn't she? Father told me about leechers once. They are very troublesome. Their carriers have to die in order for them to be expelled." Sesshoumaru told them. "But it is a bit more complicated than that. If you kill them while the leecher is in control...it does basically nothing..." He looked at the ground. "The host would be dead and the leecher would be free to inhabit the body all the time. In order to actually get rid of the leecher, the host has to be killed while they are in control of their own body..."

Inuyasha swallowed hard.

"Inuyasha?" Sango's voice squeaked slightly.

"We have to kill Kagome while she's..." he stammered. "I can't do it if she is..."

His skin paled considerably.

"Isn't that why you called me here?" Sesshoumaru smirked.

"Sesshoumaru, I..." Inuyasha frowned.

He shook his head. "No, Inuyasha. You said it yourself. As much as I hate to admit it, we do need this human girl you claim to love. If you want her back, this has to happen..." He stopped a moment, looking toward Kagome. "Unless you are willing to deal with Manami's appearances...and the fact that you no longer have control over your own body?"

Inuyasha was silent a moment, until finally, he shook his head. "No...I don't want that...I know what has to happen. It's just...I don't like the idea at all..." he answered in a low voice.

"You think I'll ever let her come back now?" Manami smirked.

Inuyasha looked up. "You won't have to. You don't have complete control of her...and you know it. It is just a matter of time until we have her back again..."

"And until she dies at your hand..." Manami added, as if it was some sort of sick afterthought. "I'm sure that's a lovely thing to look forward to..."

"Shut up." Sango snapped.

Inuyasha sat down. "Kagome..." he whispered. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry for that which you can not control, Inuyasha. It makes you look weak." Sesshoumaru glared at him.

"Thank you, _Captain Obvious_..." Inuyasha retorted. He looked up. "Sesshoumaru?" he blinked.

"What? I am doing you a big enough favor simply by staying here..." he reminded him.

Inuyasha stood. "You are going to come back to the future with me...Someone is going to have to explain this to Kagome's mom. I can't do it...and maybe...maybe if Kagome goes back to her own time...she'll come back..."

Sesshoumaru scoffed lightly to himself. "You want me to travel with you?" He laughed. "That is the most amusing thing I have ever heard..."

"I'm serious!" he snarled. "Are you going to come or not?"

Sesshoumaru stared at his younger half brother for a moment.

>>>>>>

"What are we doing at this well?" Sesshoumaru growled.

"This is how we get to Kagome's home." Inuyasha said quickly. "Just...grab my haori and jump in at the same time I do...or you might get left behind..."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Whatever..."

The purple light engulfed them both as they jumped into the dark well. In mere moments, they landed at the bottom...in Kagome's era.

Sesshoumaru's nose scrunched up uncomfortably. "This place is foul, Inuyasha." he groaned. "What is that stench?"

"The future. This is Kagome's home."

"I smell no demons." Sesshoumaru noticed. "None but you and I..."

"That's because there aren't any..." Inuyasha sighed as he carefully let Kagome down when they had landed on their feet in the well house.

Manami frowned in unhappiness. "You think that this is going to work?" she smirked. "This is ridiculous."

"Inuyasha! Kagome!" It was Kagome's mother. She smiled at the two of them, but her expression went blank when she met the cold eyes of Sesshoumaru. "Who is...?" she began.

"Ms. Higurashi...please, just sit down..." Inuyasha frowned deeply. "We...we have to talk to you. This...this isn't Kagome. What we did...we thought that it worked...but it didn't. There is only one way that we can get rid of the demons..."

Inuyasha looked to Sesshoumaru, who rolled his eyes as if he was bored, and began to speak. He told the woman, Kagome's mother, everything that he had already told Inuyasha. He spared the small woman no detail, and her skin grew more and more pale at his speech. Finally, when he was done, Kagome's mother was leaning all the way forward in her chair, staring at him with wide eyes.

"You are going to have to kill her?" she gasped.

"You don't miss a thing, do you?" Sesshoumaru retorted.

"Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha warned.

"...and Inuyasha knows how to bring her back to herself, don't you Inuyasha?" he continued.

"Shut up, Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha yelled. "This isn't a game!"

"You have to reach her," Sesshoumaru continued, pretending to be oblivious to his younger half-brother's pleas, "if you want her back, _really_ want her back, she is going to have to die first. I have already explained this twice."

_"Inuyasha..."_ He heard Kagome's voice in his head, and he blinked.

Sesshoumaru pulled one of his swords from its sheath and tossed it to Inuyasha, who caught it by the hilt and stared at it curiously. "What am I supposed to do with this?" he demanded, the confusion obvious in his tone of voice.

"Your sword will not kill humans...remember, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru reminded him.

Inuyasha gulped. "You're...making me..." he stammered, paling to a shade that rivaled that of Kagome's mother. Blinking, he slowly wiped his forehead, and took a deep breath. "You...promise to bring her back...?" he whispered.

>>>>>>

**A/N: **I do so love a good cliff hanger. Please review and let me know what you thought about this one. The next installment should be up within one or two days, as will a sequel to _Don't Cry for Me_, as I promised earlier. Again, sorry for the long period between updates, and I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Sorry for the long time between updates! I've been a bit busy lately. Anyway, here is chapter seven. I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think:D Thanks for all the support for this show thus far! This chapter is going to be really short! Sorry guys!

>>>>>>

**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Seven: Forgive me, Kagome_

Inuyasha shivered slightly. "I don't want to have to do this..." he whispered to himself.

"What makes you think I would even let that wench of yours come back?" Manami snapped.

Inuyasha glanced over at her. "It won't be your choice. Kagome can regain her control again on her own. I just have to...I have to talk to her first..."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow rose. "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to sleep. I can talk to her that way..." he explained, closing his eyes slowly.

_"Kagome...are you here?" Inuyasha whispered. Things around him were dark, and he frowned deeply. "Kagome...I need to talk to you. It's important. Please..." _

_"Inuyasha..." Kagome smiled. "I thought I warned you about this?" _

_"Koji can't get a hold on me, Kagome. My demon blood is too strong for him. I'm not human enough...and that means I'm safe..." he told her quickly. "But that is not why I'm here." _

_Kagome nodded sadly. "I am aware of what goes on, Inuyasha...even if I don't have the control..." She paused a moment. "It gets harder each time I try...to get the control and to keep it..." _

_Inuyasha coughed. "Sesshoumaru has told me what has to happen, Kagome. I'm going to have to..." he swallowed. "I have to kill you." _

_"I know, Inuyasha. Manami told me..." she revealed. _

_"No," he shook his head. "I have to kill _you_, Kagome. Once you gain control again...I have to kill you. If your body is dead, then Manami's spirit can no longer stay in it...and once she leaves your body, we can kill her..."_

_"Me?" Kagome repeated._

_Inuyasha nodded, and his eyes shot to the ground. "Yes..." He took her hands into his own. "Kagome...I'm so sorry." he whispered. "Please...forgive me...I don't want to have to do this..." _

_"Don't be sorry, Inuyasha. I'm not scared." Kagome smiled. "I understand what has to happen, and why it has to happen..." she kissed his hand lightly. "I'm not scared. I'll be coming back to you for good soon...I can look forward to that..." _

_"Kagome..." Inuyasha cupped her cheek in his hand. "Everything will be all right soon...but I need you to fight...you have to be in control of your own body for this to work..." _

_Kagome nodded, and despite what she had told him, tears glistened in her eyes. "All right, Inuyasha..." _

Inuyasha's eyes shot open. He gasped. "She was crying. I don't know if I can do this..." he whispered, more to himself than to anyone else.

**And I can see your face  
Your kiss I still can taste  
Not a memory erased **

Sesshoumaru coughed. "You have to. You explained it yourself. We need Kagome. You need her. This is the only way to get her back. Even father understood that."

Inuyasha reddened. "Shut it, Sesshoumaru! I know all that already. I just...I can't watch her die."

"Then hit her where you know it will be quickest." Sesshoumaru directed, patting his own chest. "Do it fast, and then stand back and let me do my work." he instructed. "If all goes well, we shall be rid of at least one-half of this problem by the end of the day..."

Sesshoumaru looked up.

Manami had gotten very silent. Her eyes were cast down at the floor. Suddenly, she took a very deep breath.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered in a tired voice. "Do it, Inuyasha..."

"How do I know...?" he began.

"I'll tell Buyo to claw you to death if you don't hurry..." she threatened. "I don't have much time..."

"Kagome, I don't know if I can..." he whispered his reply, and took several small steps forward. The two of them were only inches apart.

Kagome smiled. "You can do it." she said, using her hands to raise the hand in which he held the sword until it was pointing level with her chest. "You have to do it..."

"Kagome...I..."

"Don't stop to think about it, Inuyasha..." she warned. Although still smiling, she had tears shining in her eyes, and several small drops ran quietly down her cheeks.

Inuyasha gulped. "Forgive me, Kagome."

**Oh I see your star  
Shining down on me  
And I'd do anything **

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha pushed the sword forward. Kagome's mother screamed, and collapsed onto a chair. Kagome uttered a small, choking breath as she fell forward into Inuyasha's arms. Her eyes were closed, and her blood stained his haori as he held her.

"Step back, Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru warned.

He shook his head, but did as his older half-brother asked of him anyway. Behind him, Kagome's mother sat still crying, and Inuyasha did his best to comfort her. "It's going to be all right," he whispered. "She won't be gone long. Sesshoumaru is here. She'll be fine." he promised her.

A white orb lifted itself out of Kagome's body and hovered above her. Kagome was finally free of Manami's spirit.

Sesshoumaru pulled out his tenseiga, and the sword pulsed. Looking down at the young girl, Sesshoumaru flicked his wrist several times, swinging the sword at the invisible creatures of death that had begun to surround Kagome's body. One by one, these creatures were annihilated. With one last flick of his wrist, Manami's spirit disappeared. Sesshoumaru placed his sword back in its sheath and took several steps back. He nodded behind him to Inuyasha and Kagome's mother.

"The sword has done my will." he reported.

Inuyasha and Kagome's mother dropped to their knees beside Kagome's body.

Finally, Inuyasha heard it. Kagome was breathing. He smiled and wrapped her tightly in his arms.

**If I could just be right there   
Where you are  
Where you and I will breathe together  
Once again will be dancing in the moonlight  
Just like we used to do   
and you'll be smiling back at me  
Only then will I be free   
When I can be where you are**

She coughed. "Is it over?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's all over, Kagome. Manami is..."

Inuyasha gasped. They had forgotten to slay Manami's spirit when it exited Kagome's body! "Sesshoumaru!" he yelled. "Manami! Where did she go?"

"I've already disposed of her, Inuyasha. Were you not paying attention?" Sesshoumaru smirked. "The leecher is gone, which means that the problem...at least for one of you," he said, turning his eyes on Inuyasha, "is over."

Kagome took a deep breath. "What about Koji?"

"I'll gladly fix that..." Sesshoumaru flexed his claws. "No human weapon could kill Inuyasha, anyway. I will have to do it myself..."

"What? No!" Kagome screamed.

"It has to be done in order to get rid of the leecher, Kagome..." Inuyasha told her in a rational tone of voice. "It is going to be all right. Sesshoumaru will bring me back." He frowned at his brother. "Right?"

Sesshoumaru reluctantly nodded. "Yes."

Kagome looked worried. "But what if...?" she began.

"_You do not have to harm the hanyou._"

Sesshoumaru and Kagome looked at Inuyasha. His voice had changed. Could this be Koji that was talking to them?

"_Manami and I wanted to be together,_" he continued. "_I will leave the hanyou's body in peace now. There is no satisfaction in this without Manami..._"

Kagome nodded as though she understood the demon's feelings. Sesshoumaru could only manage to look mildly confused as Koji's spirit rose willingly out of Inuyasha's body and disappeared.

He blinked. "The problem has apparently been solved." he said in a low tone. "Now, I demand to be shown the way back to where we belong, as my nose seems to be rather..._overwhelmed_ at the moment..."

Inuyasha nodded. "Stinks, doesn't it?"

Sesshoumaru stared blankly at him. "Whatever."

"One second..." Inuyasha sighed, taking Kagome's hand. "Kagome, I..."

"You don't have to say a word, Inuyasha. I really do understand..." she whispered.

"I...I still wanted to say that I'm...I'm sorry that all of this happened..." he replied quickly.

She smiled, taking his hand. "You don't have to be. Let's go home."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Home?"

>>>>>>

**A/N:** So there you have it! Sorry it took so long. I know it's kind of short, but school has me a bit tied down at the moment. Please review and let me know what you think!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Sorry for the long time between updates! I've been a bit busy lately. Anyway, here is chapter eight. Nope! Chapter seven was not the end! Hope you enjoy this one! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! Please keep the comments coming!

>>>>>>

**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Eight: I've Got Them, Inuyasha...! _

"Mommy's all right!" Shippo yelled happily as he jumped into her arms. "Miroku and Sango are going to be so happy!"

"All right, Shippo. Calm down and give her some room to breathe." Inuyasha nearly snapped.

Kagome laughed. "I'm fine, Inuyasha..."

"That's good, because you have to continue the search for Naraku soon." It was Sesshoumaru who was speaking. "We are lucky that he has not realized that you have been weak for some time now..."

"We...?" Inuyasha's eyebrow rose slightly.

Sesshoumaru coughed lightly. "I do not intend to let you get yourself into any more trouble. Jacken, Rin, and I will travel with you. I made a promise to father when you were born, and I have recently decided that I do not intend to break that promise. Do you have a problem with that?"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. "What promise to father? I'm confused..."

"Good."

"What?" frowned Inuyasha.

"You can stay that way."

Kaede's village was coming into view just ahead of them. Sesshoumaru stopped.

"What's wrong, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked.

He blinked. "I must go retrieve Jacken and Rin. Then I will return to this human-infested stink hole..." With that, the demon lord pivoted on his heel and left them.

Inuyasha stared after his half brother until he could no longer see him on the horizon. "Hey, Kagome...you think he will ever realize that Rin girl he has a spot for is human?"

Kagome smiled. "I don't know, Inuyasha. Maybe he's changing?"

At that, Shippo, who was still in Kagome's arms, looked up at her and began to laugh. Hard. "Sesshoumaru? Changing? Ha! That'll happen when I'm an inu-youkai..."

Inuyasha nearly choked. "Yeah, runt. Sure." He looked at the ground.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome frowned with worry.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it..." he whispered his reply. "I just...I have to talk to you later."

"About?"

"About...stuff." He answered. He glanced quickly at Shippo. Then, he turned back to her. "It's something about you and Shippo, if you must know..."

Kagome blinked. "Me and Shippo? Inuyasha, what is it?"

"Shh! Kagome, people might hear you!" Inuyasha groaned.

"What's so bad about that, Inuyasha?" she whispered. "I think you already know how I feel about you, so why in the world would you care if anyone else hears what you have to say, hmm?"

"It's not you that I am worried about." Inuyasha admitted. "It's him."

Kagome blinked. "_Him_?" She paused. "You mean Shippo?"

Inuyasha nodded slightly. "Yeah." He frowned. "I'll tell you later, all right?"

"All right, Inuyasha."

Sango and Miroku smiled when they saw that their friends were approaching. Shippo, who was still comfortably in Kagome's arms, jumped down and ran to Kirara. The two of them disappeared into the village background before Inuyasha and Kagome could even reach Sango and Miroku.

Miroku laughed. "I think it took you long enough, Inuyasha! What were you guys doing over there, anyway?" he demanded.

Inuyasha hit him squarely atop his head. "Shut up, monk."

"I didn't say it!" he whined.

"But you were thinking it." Inuyasha finished for him.

Kagome cleared her throat loudly. "It's glad to be back," she smiled when Inuyasha and the others glanced her direction. "I hope you guys haven't been too worried about us? Everything is fine now. There isn't a thing to worry about." She turned so that she was directly facing Inuyasha. "However, I believe you and I do need to have a talk?" she whispered.

Miroku's eyebrow rose, and both Sango and Inuyasha hit him as hard as they could.

"All right, Kagome. Let's go for a walk." Inuyasha suggested. He took her by the arm and led her back into the forest...back in the direction from whence they had come only moments before.

Kagome turned. "Hey, Sango, watch after Shippo while I'm gone, all right? Tell him he isn't allowed to play any tricks on the villagers..." she warned in a motherly sort of tone, and Sango nodded with an understanding smile.

Several minutes later, Kagome found that she and Inuyasha had arrived at none other than the sacred tree: the place they had first met one another.

Inuyasha sighed deeply and sat on one of the branches that was protruding from the ground. He looked up into Kagome's eyes. "There's something I really need to talk to you about, Kagome. It's serious. I hope it doesn't...upset you in any way," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Kagome went white. What if whatever Inuyasha had to say to her turned out to be bad news? What if he said he'd made a mistake? The many negative possibilities played themselves out in Kagome's mind as Inuyasha played with his thoughts.

She gulped. "Inuyasha...it isn't..._bad_, is it?" she asked timidly.

Inuyasha looked up. He hadn't realized his word choice had Kagome so worried. He shook his head back and forth. "No," he assured her, "at least...I don't think it is. Although...I was wondering how you would accept the news...and if Shippo would accept it at all..." he admitted, more to himself than to the woman standing in front of him.

Kagome dropped to her knees beside him and frowned. "What is it, Inuyasha? If it isn't bad, then go ahead and tell me. I promise I'll be all right, no matter what it is..."

Inuyasha sighed deeply once again. "Are you sure, Kagome?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Inuyasha took a deep breath. "After...after everything that has happened recently...and after all that we have been through together...I have been doing a lot of thinking...about us." he began. "And I came to the conclusion that I...well, I want to make sure that you are a part of my life, Kagome...and that you remain a part of my life, for as long as either of us can manage. But then I noticed recently...well..._not_ so recently...about the bond between you and Shippo. I know he considers you his mother, and I wouldn't want anything I proposed to get in the way of that...so I was thinking I could just adopt him, too..."

Kagome's cheeks went instantly pink with joy. "Are you serious, Inuyasha? That is great!" she smiled, wrapping him in the tightest of hugs that she could manage.

"No, Kagome. It's more complicated than that. I would have to mark you...both of you. I know you've heard about this from Sango...and with you, it may not be such an issue...but Shippo has to agree to it, too. And I don't think he...I don't think I am worthy to take his father's place..."

Kagome shook her head fiercely. "You would not be taking his father's place, Inuyasha! Shippo knows who his father is, just as he knows who his real mother is. Have you...have you talked to him about it at all?"

"No...not really." Inuyasha frowned in a whiny voice. "With everything that has been going on, I have been putting the topic off for a while. But what he said earlier..."

"He didn't mean it literally, Inuyasha. It wasn't his intention to..."

"I know." He paused. "But I...I mean, you don't understand. In order for me to officially adopt Shippo, there is a marking process...not like it would be with you if I took you as my mate...it's different than that...but he would still have to agree to it. He wouldn't change like you might on the outside, but he would adopt some inu-youkai qualities, and I just don't know if he'd be willing to go through with it..."

"You have been thinking about this for a while." Kagome commented.

He nodded in agreement. "Yes, I have. Since before you got sick and we stopped at that damned village..."

"Inuyasha...do you want me to talk to him? I could ask him about it if you wanted me to." she suggested.

Inuyasha paled. "I...well...you could...if you wanted to, that is..."

"I will." Kagome smiled, wrapping him in a hug and kissing him lightly on the cheek. She blushed, and pulled herself away. "I bet he'll be thrilled." she nodded shyly, and began to head back toward the village.

"Where are you going, Kagome?" he called.

"To talk to Shippo!" she laughed.

He thought about following her, but at the thought of Shippo's reaction, decided it was best to stay where he was and wait for the news from Kagome's lips. He sighed deeply. He had no idea how long the wait would be. He leaned his head up against the back of the sacred tree and closed his eyes.

He hadn't intended to, but soon, he had fallen to sleep.

Over an hour later, Inuyasha was shaken awake by Sango and Miroku, who both held very confused looks on their faces. Behind them stood Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jacken, also looking at the inu-hanyou as if something was wrong with him.

He blinked. "What are you guys doing out here?" he asked groggily.

Sango frowned. "You mean Kagome and Shippo aren't with you?" she replied.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Kagome left to go talk to Shippo about something, and I opted to stay here and wait for her..." His eyes widened in realization. "Why?"

Miroku smiled. "Well, maybe they went with Kaede to the neighboring village a little while ago? I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Even Sesshoumaru said he didn't sense any threats in the area..."

Despite Miroku's assurance, Inuyasha stood quickly. "When will the old bat be back from the other village?"

Sango seemed to think about it for a moment. "It shouldn't be long," she guessed. "We were just curious because we haven't seen Shippo or Kirara since they went off to play, and we hadn't seen Kagome since she came here with you. We were thinking they would be with you..."

"But they're not." Miroku finished. "I'm sure they've probably just gone to help Kaede. We'll see when she gets back..."

"But are you sure...?" he began. He paused, though, when he heard something in the bushes. His nose shot into the air, as did Sesshoumaru's.

Sango gasped. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Kirara!" Inuyasha yelped, diving into the bushes and coming out seconds later with the small cat demon in his arms. She was injured...bleeding from her side.

Sango's eyes widened with shock. "What happened to her?" she yelled, taking her furry companion from Inuyasha's arms and looking her over quickly. She paled. "Inuyasha...I think this is a dagger wound!"

"Dagger?" he repeated.

"Yes, Inuyasha. She said dagger. Is your hearing failing you?" Sesshoumaru snapped. He growled low in his throat. His growling seemed to be directed toward Kirara, who was occasionally chirping in response to Sesshoumaru. Sango could only stand and look confused. Finally, after a moment, Sesshoumaru spoke.

"We have a problem." he said simply.

Inuyasha blinked. "What do you mean?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "The cat has told me that she was playing with the fox child when the priestess Kagome showed up. She says that the two of them were talking when someone came from behind the trees. She tried to protect them, but she failed..."

Sango looked down at Kirara, who meowed as if to confirm what Sesshoumaru had said.

Inuyasha's eye twitched. "She failed? What does that mean?" His eyes began to widen. "Are they...?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Kirara, who began to meow and chirp again. When she was done, Sesshoumaru once again turned back to the group that was waiting for his words.

"They are not dead. They were knocked unconscious before they were taken away..." he reported to them.

"Knocked...unconscious...?" Miroku frowned.

Kirara nodded, and Miroku sighed.

Kirara looked up, and Sesshoumaru blinked. "There is more?" he whispered to her. He waited as she talked to him, nodding occasionally, and then took a deep breath. "She says that whoever took the kit and Kagome left a message for you, Inuyasha..."

"A message..." Inuyasha whispered. "Where?"

"Where they were attacked..." Sesshoumaru answered. "Where else?"

"Let's go. _Right now_." he snarled dangerously.

>>>>>>

"Here." Sesshoumaru said.

Inuyasha huffed. "Thank you, _Captain Obvious_..." smirked Inuyasha as he surveyed the scene. Kirara's blood was leading a trail into the forest, and stuck to a tree with a small dagger was a note with Inuyasha's name inked on the top.

Inuyasha walked forward slowly, snatching the note from the tree and staring at it.

Sesshoumaru coughed. "You can read? Father taught me, but I had no idea someone like you would be able to..." he asked.

He nodded. "Of course. My mother was a member of the court." he snapped. "But let's not get into an argument right now over something so stupid...listen..."

Sesshoumaru nodded.

Inuyasha cleared his throat loudly and began to read. "Inuyasha—I have taken your kit and your wench. Unfortunately, the wench did not have what I wanted. For now, her and the kit will live. If you do not get me what I want by sundown tomorrow--" At that, Inuyasha stopped reading, growled, and crumpled the paper, throwing it at the tree.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked curiously.

He frowned deeply. "The bastard is going to kill Shippo and Kagome unless I give him what he wants. I have twenty-four hours..."

"What does he want?" gasped Sango with worry.

Inuyasha shook his head. "_I don't know_..." he admitted sadly.

>>>>>>

**A/N: **Sorry for the long time between updates, guys...and I know...yet again I have put a bit of a cliffhanger here. Hope you guys don't mind! Please review and let me know what you think! I'm on spring break right now, so the next chapter should be up soon!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Here's chapter nine! Thanks for the reviews thus far! Keep them coming!

--

**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Nine: Someone to Watch Over Me_

"Mommy, where are we?" Shippo groaned as he woke up. "Mommy?"

"Shippo, shh! Don't talk...I don't know where we are..." Kagome whispered her reply. "Are you all right, Shippo? You're not hurt, are you?"

The small kitsune seemed to think about this. He looked himself over. "No...I'm fine. But...I think I smell blood..."

Kagome sighed. "I'm all right, Shippo. It's just a cut. It will be fine." Kagome shivered. She wasn't sure if what she had told the kitsune was a lie or not, but she held her hands tightly to her bleeding side. There was a good sized gash there, and it was bleeding profusely. As long as the darkness remained in the room, she might be able to divert Shippo's attention from her injury. And hopefully, Inuyasha would be there to help them soon.

"But mommy, I smell..."

"Shippo, for all I know, we could be surrounded by _things_...so, just try not to think about it, all right?"

He nodded, although he thought he heard Kagome's breath catch in her throat.

"All right, mommy. Do you think Inuyasha will come and help us soon?"

Kagome nodded several times, groaning in pain as she did so. "Of course he will, Shippo. He loves us both very much, and he is going to snap the evil man who hurt us in half..." Kagome pressed her hand more firmly to her side, but that did nothing to stop the flow of blood that was now collecting in a pool below her.

"Inuyasha loves us?" Shippo repeated.

Kagome smiled. "Of course he does, Shippo. You remember what I was talking to you about before we got attacked?"

Shippo racked his small brain, jumped into Kagome's lap, She cringed, but the small fox demon did not notice. He nodded. "I think I do! You were about to ask me something about Inuyasha..."

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha...Shippo...Inuyasha wants to adopt you..." Kagome managed, although her pain was starting to overwhelm her. She had to keep talking. She had to stay awake so that she didn't alarm Shippo. "He loves you and me very much...and he wants everyone to know it..." she stammered.

Shippo gasped. "Really?" He paused a moment, processing the information. "Are you... serious?"

Kagome nodded, grimacing. "Yes, Shippo. I'm serious." she grinned at him.

Shippo smiled. "Why didn't he talk to me about it?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know, Shippo. I think even Inuyasha is scared sometimes..." She groaned.

"Mommy...it's _you_...I can smell it. You are hurt, aren't you? It's bad...I can tell!" Shippo's eyes widened. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I just...I will be fine, Shippo..."

"Mommy..."

"This is a very interesting situation we find ourselves in, isn't it?" asked a voice from the corner.

Kagome jumped, and yelped in pain. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, hugging Shippo close to her with her free hand. "What are we doing here?"

"I am the one who brought you here, stupid wench." the man smirked his reply. "I tried to find that stupid jewel...but apparently, you no longer have it..."

"You hurt my mommy?" Shippo screamed. "I'm going to..."

"No, Shippo...I'll be all right..." Kagome warned him. "Stay right here with me..."

The man laughed. "Actually, at the rate at which you are bleeding, you won't be all right. I'd give you until about sundown before you bled to death...and by that time, your Inuyasha should be bursting through the wall to witness your death. Then I will kill the kitsune and take the jewel..."

Kagome shuddered with a small laugh. "Well...it was pretty stupid to bring us here for that. He doesn't have the jewel, you idiot. Only I know where it is."

"Then you will tell me right now!" he demanded.

Kagome shook her head, grimacing in pain. "I will do no such thing."

"Then you will die."

"I will die anyway, from what you say..." Kagome smirked. "Your threats will not change my decision..." She hugged Shippo even close to her.

He whimpered. "But mommy, what about...?" he began.

"No, Shippo. Lesson number one...never give them what they want..." she whispered to him. "Never. No matter what."

He nodded and hugged her.

The man smiled to himself, and took several steps forward. He smiled down at Kagome and Shippo, who, from his position above them, had a very good view of the man, or demon, rather, who had imprisoned them.

"If you will not listen to threats against your own well being, what about the child?" he smirked.

Kagome paled. "You wouldn't! He is just a child!"

--

"I don't care what he wants!" Inuyasha growled. "We're following the scent right now. Knowing our luck, he is after the jewel. I thought Kagome had it...but maybe not...?"

Sango shook her head. "She has hidden it away, where Naraku can not find it..."

"It is not Naraku who has taken them. We would all know that scent, demons and humans alike." Sesshoumaru reminded them. "And if it was Naraku, then the bodies of Kagome and the fox child would probably be lying amidst the chaos here..."

"Can we please not make any references like that?" Inuyasha groaned.

Sesshoumaru blinked. "I am sure that they are fine, Inuyasha. The human girl is strong for her species, and she will do well to protect the kit to the best of her ability. I am sure of that."

"So am I." Inuyasha nodded. "That is what I am worried about. If Kagome thought Shippo was in danger..." he allowed his voice to trail off, and shook his head lightly.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Worry not, Inuyasha. We will find them both soon enough."

--

"Don't you threaten him, you son of a..." Kagome snarled at the man, abandoning her side wound and wrapping both of her arms protectively around her adoptive son. "Get away, I swear, I will..." she began.

"I will poke you so full of holes that even Inuyasha will not be able to recognize you, woman! Now, I say again..." Kagome saw the pointing shiny end of his sword and inwardly cringed. "Tell me where the jewel of four souls is hidden, right now, or I will slice the kit in half..."

"No!" Kagome screamed. "I won't tell you!"

"Then you have signed the child's death warrant..."

Shippo whimpered and shrank into Kagome's shirt.

Kagome looked down at her adoptive son and smiled. She stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head, looking up at the demon standing over her.

"Don't hurt him..." she whispered. "You can...you can have me instead...but don't hurt him..." She paused. "It's a trade..."

"A trade?" the demon repeated. "You would _trade_ your life to save this weak kit?"

Sighing, Kagome nodded. _Help us, Inuyasha..._she pleaded inwardly.

"Fine." he smirked, grabbing her by her hair and jerking her away from Shippo. "You asked for it. I am going to make your death a slow one..."

"No!" Shippo pleaded. "She doesn't have it! I have it! Please!"

--

Inuyasha's eyes widened. They had reached a stream, and he could detect small traces of blood...Kagome's blood. The farther they went downstream, the stronger the scent of her blood got. Inuyasha paled as they advanced downstream. Even Sesshoumaru grimaced at the strong smell of the blood. They were getting closer, and from the scent, it was not hard to tell that the girl was in a great deal of trouble.

"Inuyasha...I don't think..." he began.

He shook his head, the anger welling up in his system. "Whatever you have to say, I do not want to hear it." he snapped.

"I was just going to say that from the looks of things, we need to proceed with caution. This has 'trap' written all over it."

"I don't care!" he yelled. "I have to help them! I love Kagome and Shippo, and protecting them is my job! It's what I do! I wasn't there watching over them like I should have been, and now they are in danger, so drop it! I don't want to hear any of your warnings right now!"

"Inuyasha...calm yourself. Remember what that sword hanging at your waist is for. Control your temper..." Miroku coached him. "You will be of no help to us if you fall into insanity..."

"I know..." he whispered. "I know..."

--

"Let me out of here!" Shippo screamed. "Let me out! Fox fire!" he screamed, sending a small swirl of blue flames at the door. It did nothing. He pounded on it with his small fists until they were red and swollen, but nothing seemed to help. He could hear nothing that was happening beyond the door, but the scent of Kagome's blood was getting stronger, and he knew that _someone_ had to get to her soon. _Something _had to be done, or he would lose her just as he had lost his real mother and father.

"Open this door! I can take it! Just let me out!" he yelled.

--

Inuyasha took a deep breath. "They're here!" he announced.

Sango blinked. "Inuyasha...this is a tree..."

"Only to the untrained eye..." Sesshoumaru nodded. He took a step forward, and a small purple barrier erected itself. He smirked. "Hmm...leading us to the scene of the crime and then trying to keep us out. This is definitely a trap..."

"Stand back, Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha commanded. "If it's a trap, then so be it...but Kagome and Shippo are in there, and I intend to get them out."

"All right."

The barrier broke easily, slicing a hole into the side of what, on the outside, appeared to be a normal tree. Inuyasha jumped forward. "Kagome! Shippo!" he screamed.

What he saw made his heart sink into his stomach. Sitting in front of a door was Shippo, his hands red and his eyes streaked with tears old and new. He was sitting, defeated, with his head toward the ground.

"Shippo!" Inuyasha yelped. "What has happened? Where is Kagome? I thought she was here?"

Shippo shook his head, and began to sob even harder. "He took her instead of me..." he whispered.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha paled even more.

"He took her instead of me!" he screamed hysterically. "I told him I could take it. I told him to leave her alone! I tried to get the door to open! I tried, but I couldn't..."

"Calm down, Shippo!" Miroku snapped. "When did this demon take Lady Kagome?"

Shippo choked on his sobs as he answered the monk. "She's been gone with him for an hour! I don't know what to do, daddy...help her, please!" Shippo latched onto Inuyasha's pants leg and cried.

Inuyasha gulped. "Shippo..." he whispered. "It's all right. I'm here now. Kagome is going to be fine..." Shippo's words rang in his ears as he busted the door down. Shippo was depending on him now. Shippo had asked him for help. Shippo had called him 'daddy'...and he didn't intend to let him or Kagome down.

--

**A/N: **Well, that's it for chapter nine! This one will be concluding soon! Please review and let me know what you think:D


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Here's chapter ten! This will be the final chapter for this one. I am going to start the sequel to _Don't Cry for Me_ that several people have been asking about. If it's not already up by the time this chapter is up, it will be very soon. Hope you guys like this one! Please review and let me know what you think. Sorry for the shortness on this one, but there is a method to my madness, as those of you who are familiar with me know. :D

>>>>>>

**Where You Are**  
_Chapter Ten: I Love Her That Much_

The demon looked up curiously. He suddenly sensed several other presences. Someone has broken down his barrier! That meant that the woman's intended mate must surely have been there. He tensed slightly, and smiled over at the pale and unconscious girl who was lying on the floor across from him.

"They may be too late for you, woman. Too bad you were too stubborn to just tell me where that jewel was..." He laughed. "It was the most stupid and probably the last mistake you will make..."

Pulling his sword from its sheath, he stood at the door, ready, or so he thought, to face the coming intruders. As six of them, the kit included, burst through the door, his eyebrow rose slightly. "Well, aren't you about the oddest pack I have ever seen..." he commented smartly.

Inuyasha had his eyes trained on Kagome, who was still lying unconscious on the floor. He could tell from the smell, which was so strong that even Miroku and Sango must have recognized it, that his Kagome was in bad shape.

"What did you do?" he screamed.

He shrugged. "She refused to tell me where the jewel of four souls was hidden." He said simply. "I was going to kill the kit and just make her talk that way, but she offered a trade..."

"A trade?" Inuyasha repeated, his tesseiga pulsing with his growing anger.

The demon nodded. "Why yes, a trade. Her own life in exchange for the kit's. Although, now that I think about it, it wasn't much of a trade. She didn't even have the energy to fight back after I sliced her side open...and that weak little protection barrier she placed around herself faded after she lost too much blood..."

Inuyasha's eye twitched, and he growled low in his throat. "Shut up! I don't want to hear this! You are going to die for what you did to her, whether she lives or not!" He promised. "And I will see that it hurts ten times worse than whatever you did to Kagome!"

"Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru's voice chimed in. "Stand aside. We don't have that much time," he reminded his half-brother.

Inuyasha glanced at him, and did as he was told, never letting his sword fall from the attack position.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "I would let my brother have his fun ripping you to shreds for what you have done, but in the interests of the girl's health, I have decided that I will dispatch you myself. Prepare to die!" Sesshoumaru growled.

Inuyasha jumped behind him to remove Kagome from the line of fire, and Sesshoumaru gave a quick swipe of his tokijin sword. The power coming from it was unbelievable, and the demon who had taken Kagome and Shippo had not a leg to stand on. In seconds, he was reduced to nothing, and Sesshoumaru was replacing his tokijin in its sheath with a satisfied smirk.

Miroku blinked. "Don't think I'm not glad about this or anything, but didn't that seem like it was just a little bit too easy?" he asked of the group.

Inuyasha seemed to think about this.

"There is always someone out there that is stronger than your last opponent, and occasionally, there is someone out there who is stronger than you..." Sesshoumaru answered for him. "We got lucky this time that this demon was a pushover. Your woman needs medical attention, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru reminded them. "Let's leave this place..."

Inuyasha shook his head. "I am not taking Kagome to the old woman for treatment. Her wounds are too severe." He frowned, and looked down at Shippo. "We're going to the future. They can help Kagome there much easier than they can help her here, and besides...when this is all over and she is all better again, Kagome, Shippo, and I have some business we need to take care of." he nodded.

Sango smiled in understanding, but all Miroku could do was look confused.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "You have done far more with your life than even our father could have hoped, Inuyasha. I hate to admit it, but I think that the human woman...I think she will make you a fine mate." he said after a moment's pause, and everyone stopped to look at him.

Inuyasha smiled and nodded to his odd, older, half-brother before once again looking down at Shippo. "Come on, runt. You're coming along too." He told him.

Shippo's eyes widened. "Really? Can I?" He jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder.

Inuyasha ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the bone eater's well, and jumped inside. Shippo held on to Inuyasha's robes for dear life, and was amazed when the three of them were swallowed up in a bright purple light.

Almost as soon as they landed on the other side, Inuyasha jumped out, grabbed a hat Kagome's family had left there for him, and ran full speed into the Higurashi home.

"Ms. Higurashi! Souta! Someone! Help! Kagome has been hurt badly! She's lost a lot of blood, and I don't know..."

He was staring face to face with Kagome's mother, who had gone stark white when she saw how her daughter hung limply in Inuyasha's hands. She nodded and ran out to the car.

With a pop, Shippo disguised himself to look as normal as he could possibly manage, and nodded to Inuyasha, who was cradling Kagome's head in his lap.

"You're going to be fine," he whispered to her. "Everything will be all right. I brought you back here...they're going to help you..."

"What happened?" Kagome's mother demanded as she rounded a corner at a speed nearly three times the actual speed limit. "How did she get like this?"

Shippo's bottom lip began to quiver, and he he hid his face behind his hands. In his own little mind, Kagome's injuries were partly his fault...although, he knew Inuyasha would never agree to his thinking like that...

"Her and Shippo were kidnapped..." Inuyasha told her in a monotone voice. "The demon would have killed Shippo, but Kagome protected him..." He stroked her hair as he said this.

Kagome's mother coughed, noticing the hanyou's displays of affection. "I take it you're Shippo?" she asked the kit.

Shippo nodded, his eyes tearing up. "I'm sorry. I should have..."

"No, you don't need to apologize. I'm glad you're safe. Kagome speaks so highly of you..." Ms. Higurashi replied, although her expression was still a sad one.

She came to a hard stop in front of the hospital and urged Inuyasha and Shippo to jump out with Kagome.

>>>>>>

When Kagome awoke, she was in a hospital bed with several tubes attached to her from various points on her body. She groaned. "Where...?" she tried to ask, but Shippo, her mother, and Inuyasha were at her side in a second.

"It's all right, Kagome. The doctors say that you are going to be fine." her mother told her. "Inuyasha and Shippo brought you here."

"Shippo...? Is that...he's safe..." Kagome sighed with relief. She took a deep breath, feeling some of her strength returning to her. "What...what did you tell...the doctors?" she stammered.

Her mother shrugged. "Inuyasha told them the truth, actually..."

Kagome's eyes widened.

"Not the _whole_ truth," he promised her. "I'm not that thick-headed, you know..."

"He saved us," Shippo smiled proudly. "I don't care if he really told them the truth or not..." He wiggled his nose. "Although I do hope you get better soon, momma. This place smells kind of funny."

Kagome laughed slightly, jumping in pain as she did so. "Inuyasha has told me that a time or two..." she smiled at him, and closed her eyes.

"All right, guys...let's let her sleep for a while..." Kagome mother said quietly, but Kagome opened her eyes again and shook her head.

"No, momma. I want them both to stay here. They're my family."

"Your...family?" Kagome's mother repeated.

Shippo smiled proudly. "Well, we will be...as soon as Inuyasha marks..."

Kagome blushed as Inuyasha glared at the kit to stop talking. He laughed nervously. "I'll explain that one to you later...much later...when Kagome is feeling better..." Inuyasha promised as a blush crept onto his cheeks.

Ms. Higurashi cleared her throat. "I think I know what you mean..." she said, glancing knowingly from Kagome to Inuyasha and back again. "And if it's all the same to you, I would be much happier not knowing any details..." she laughed to herself.

Inuyasha nodded.

"Just...one question," Kagome's mother added, turning to face the small group.

Inuyasha gulped. "Sure. What is it?" he asked nervously.

"Do you love my daughter, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha smiled, looking down at Kagome for a moment, and clearing his throat. "Yes, I do, Ms. Higurashi. You have no idea how much..."

Kagome blushed for a second time when Inuyasha said this.

Kagome's mother nodded with apparent satisfaction. "That, Inuyasha, is all that I needed to know." she smiled at him. "Welcome to our family..."

Inuyasha blinked. "Did you just say...?"

Kagome's mother winked. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to Kagome, Inuyasha. She loves you, and she loves that little boy," Her mother pointed to Shippo, who was beaming with a new-found pride. "And if you love her even half as much as I think you do, then that makes you wonderful in my book."

Inuyasha nodded. "I do, Ms. Higurashi. You can trust me on that."

"I trust you on a lot more than that, Inuyasha." She said, wrapping him in a hug. "You just make sure to take excellent care of my only daughter."

"I will."

>>>>>>

**A/N:** Kind of short and open-ended, wasn't it? Well, I tend to do that sometimes, too. I hope you liked this one. I am unsure as of right now if this one will have a sequel to it or not, but then again, that is why I left the ending where I left it. Please review and let me know what you think, and thanks to everyone who has been following this story.


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